


True Romance

by toomanycurls



Series: Before the Sun Sets (HP Next-Gen) [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: HPFT, Drama & Romance, F/M, Harry Potter Next Generation, LGBTQ Character, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-26
Updated: 2016-08-04
Packaged: 2018-07-18 08:07:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 70,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7306846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toomanycurls/pseuds/toomanycurls
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Albus is at a crossroads in his love life. He's found friendship with Scorpius while sparks fly whenever he meets with Brandon. Can he follow his heart before it's too late?</p><p>A story about life, love, making choices, and - most of all - growing up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New Slang

The arm snaked around Albus’ waist reminded him that he did not go to bed alone the previous night and the throb in his temple combined with a queasy feeling in his stomach told him he overindulged as well. Stretching out, Al glanced at the sandy hair and freckled face on the pillow next to him and smiled as memories of Derrick Williams snogging him on the couch circled his groggy thoughts. It wasn’t the first, or even third time they had ended up in bed together after a party. Theirs was a nice arrangement of being friends who would on occasion snog – Derrick was too busy with his quidditch career to really have time for romance and Al, well, he was content to be independent from attachments that love often brought.

James’ voice rang like a bell into Albus’ room as he asked, “Still asleep? Mum owled to see if we’re going to make it for brunch.”

“We’re just getting up,” Al called, planting a kiss on Derrick’s cheek. “Just need a few minutes to-“

Opening the door to his brother’s room, James poked his head in, “Merlin, put some clothes on, Al. You don’t have time for that, let’s get going.” Derrick had pulled the blankets midway up his torso causing James to laugh, “It’s not anything I haven’t seen in the locker room, Williams.”

Al rolled his eyes as he grabbed his wand to levitate a sheet to obscure James’ view of him getting dressed. “You could have just waited in the living room – I would have been out in a few minutes.”

“I thought you guys needed adult supervision,” James said, leaning against the doorframe.

By the time Albus had his trousers on, Derrick was finished dressing. “I should duck out. Thanks for the fun night,” he said as he tugged at Al’s waistband, pulling him close. The slow kiss caused Al’s concentration to lapse long enough for the sheet between him and the rest of the room to fall.

“Oy!” James shouted causing Derrick to snap his head away from Al. “Didn’t you get enough of that last night?” he asked with his eyebrows raised.

“I suppose I did, Potter,” Derrick said with a wink to Al. “See you at practice. Bye, Al.” After watching Derrick leave, Al returned to his task of finding an acceptable top to wear to family brunch.

James and Albus moved into their flat some months previous to try living outside of their parents’ house for a spell. It had been James’ idea but he did the math and realized that he would have a closet for a flat if he moved out on his own. Being a professional quidditch player was his dream job but it did not pay enough for a lush lifestyle – not if the team continued to be near the bottom of the league. Albus was the one who suggested they get a place together. His pay at Weasley Wizard Wheezes was enough to float on but he fancied eating more than bits of crackers and cheese for meals.

Finally pulling on his robes and adjusting his collar, Albus looked over at his older brother and laughed. “Staring at your watch won’t make me go faster.”

“You can tell Mum we’re late because you couldn’t take your hands off my teammate,” James snipped. Al smiled, knowing that any conversation about physical affection in front of their parents would send James over the edge.

It took ten more minutes for them to finally appear in the living room at Harry and Ginny Potter’s house – their childhood home. Lily came running into the living room when she heard her brothers amble out of the fireplace. “You’re almost late,” she declared, causing James to shoot Albus a significant look. “Let me guess, you threw another party for your team?” she asked looking at James, crossing her arms.

He nodded, then said, “Have to boost team morale.” Albus stifled a laugh as he recalled the ruckus drinking and rather intense quidditch debates from the previous night.

“When can I go to one of your parties?” Lily asked, narrowing her eyes at the idea of her brothers having so much fun without her.

“I was thinking never,” Al offered, taking a seat on the couch. “Those guys only want one thing, Lil.”

“Maybe _I_ only want one thing,” Lily retorted, causing James to screw his face up with disgust. “Oh puh-lease. You guys get to go have all the fun.”

“Older brothers are like that,” came Ginny’s voice from the doorway. Lily’s eyes showed momentary panic as she worried about how much her mother overheard. “I wouldn’t mention _wanting one thing_ to your father, he’s liable to snap his wand,” she added not able to hold in her grin. “Come on, you three, food is up.”

Sunday brunch was a recent tradition for the Potter household. With all their children out of Hogwarts and two living out of the house, it was important to Harry and Ginny to pull them together at least once a week, if not more, for quality family time.

“Do you have plans this afternoon, Al?” Harry asked as he pushed his mostly clean plate towards the center of the table.

Nodding, Al said, “I’m meeting Scorpius for tea to go over some potion ideas he wants to try on the market.”

With a groan, James gave his brother a withering look before asking, “Why do you still hang out with that creep?”

It wasn’t Al who spoke up first to defend Scorpius, it was Lily. “Don’t call him a creep, James. Albus can be friends who whomever he likes.”

James had been the last in the family to put together the nature Albus and Scorpius’ relationship while they were at school. It took Albus’ blunt explanation for James to get that they weren’t just best friends who shared a dorm. His main objection to the relationship was that he had gotten into a fight with Billy Finnegan who claimed that he had seen Albus and Scorpius snogging in the library. He would have hexed Billy either way but it didn’t sit well with him to not know about Al’s relationship. Now James disliked Scorpius for the way he played Al and manipulated Rose, not taking into account that neither of the wronged parties held a grudge.

“Yeah, no one is stopping you from being friends with Dawlish,” Al shot out there. “He cheated on my friend and slugged a ref at a match.”

Harry cutoff the building argument with a stern, “As long as no one is hanging out with Death Eaters, you’re all permitted to be friends with anyone you like.”

“Malfoy’s dad was a Death Eater,” James grumbled, causing Ginny to smirk from behind her napkin as she wiped her mouth.

“Cut it out, you two,” she said once all traces of the grin left her face. “You boys can argue all week at your flat but keep a lid on it at home.”

“Yes, Mum,” came Al’s voice while James merely grunted his agreement.

Overall it was a pleasant time with the family. James and Al kept their bickering to a minimum and focused instead on teasing Lily. When Al got up to leave for tea, Ginny insisted he go with a stack of lemon cakes to share with Scorpius as they were both just getting on their feet and shouldn’t be subjected to tea without proper snacks.

Within minutes of departing his parents’ house, Albus was being greeted by Scorpius at his small flat in Diagon Alley. It was about a year back that Scorpius asked Albus to give him another shot at being friends. They both approached the relationship with caution as they had both been heartbroken at their fallout.

“Mum sent me with these,” Albus said, handing Scorpius the lemon cakes. “How was your week?”

“Sales were good – I got three orders for shrinking potion which seemed a bit unusual,” he mused out loud.

“Maybe they’re packing a lot into their trunk and need everything to be smaller,” Albus suggested, thinking that most people who bought something as simple as a shrinking potion would be horrible at a complicated spell like undetectable expansion.

“Could be… I forgot to ask. I’ve been a bit distracted I suppose,” Scorpius confessed not quite making eye contact with Al.

“Is everything alright?” Al said with concern. He raked his eyes over Scorpius’ features, checking for signs of malnutrition or emotional woes. It was unusual for Scorpius not to inquire about the buying habits of his customers, especially as his business relied on understanding why people needed his potions. He and Al often sat around speculating why people needed specific potions, often embellishing tales about various clients.

“I met someone,” Scorpius nearly sang with excitement.

“Like a new customer?” Albus asked with a sarcastic edge to his voice.

The smile that passed over Scorpius’ face told him it wasn’t a business acquaintance. “No, not a new customer.”

Albus stared at Scorpius waiting for more details, but his friend sipped on his tea with a sly smile curving the corners of his mouth. “Oh, come out with the details, for Merlin’s sake,” Albus finally appealed. “Give me something more to go on here.”

Scorpius seemed to relish his ability to keep Al on the edge of his seat, waiting for more information. “His name is Corbin and we’ve gone out a few times,” Scorpius supplied.

The way Scorpius’ face lit up while he was talking about Corbin told Albus much more than the words used – he was enthralled with the man called Corbin. Through all his excitement for Scorpius, Al could not quell the rising jealousy.  Trying to come across as nonchalant, Albus asked, “So… what makes him so promising?”

It took a great deal of self-control to listen to Scorpius excitedly detail how they first met up for drinks, then Corbin took him out for dinner, and how he’s been completely wonderful to be around. Albus considered how Brandon, would react in this situation and decided to encourage Scorpius to keep seeing Corbin. Brandon had been the first person Albus dated who accepted his affection without conditions or the need to hide their relationship. He had been an exceptional partner but saw the need to end their relationship once it became clear that Albus was using him as an emotional crutch. Brandon would be the understanding friend in situation, so Al was trying to do the same.

“When do you see him again?” Albus asked, leaning back in his chair.

“He’s making me dinner Tuesday,” Scorpius grinned toothily. “I think I’ll stay over that night,” he added with a hint of shyness to his voice.

Al was starting to wonder if Scorpius was _trying_ to make him jealous but didn’t let his emotions run amok. “You have to tell me all about it,” he said with genuine interest.

Later that evening, when Albus gave Scorpius a hug goodbye, he resisted the urge to kiss him goodnight, as he’d considered doing several times before. “Goodnight, Al,” Scorpius murmured as if he had also felt the same swoosh of desire.

James was splayed on the couch with a magazine in hand when Albus got back to their flat. “How’s Malfoy?” he called not bothering to look up from his reading.

“Scorpius is just fine,” Albus told him. “He has a boyfriend, actually.”

This news caused James to be momentarily distracted and sit up. “I thought you two were going to…” he sputtered, unable to finish the sentence. Albus rolled his eyes and retreated to his room, only to be followed by James. “I’m sorry, Al. That must be hard.”

Albus stared at his brother for a few minutes before responding. “I’m happy for him,” he insisted but then added, after James crossed his arms, “it is difficult to know he’s finally moved on. Merlin, I don’t even know if I would want him back except for a good shag.” It was more bravado than he really felt at the moment, but Al didn’t want to dwell on a tiny moment of jealousy.

“Do you think it’ll get serious for you and Williams?” James asked with a smirk. “You two definitely seemed to get serious last night.”

“He’s pretty but kind of dim,” Albus laughed. “Besides, I get enough quidditch talk from you.”

“We can’t both be perpetually single,” James grinned. “I thought playing professional quidditch meant witches queued up for a date.”

“It would help if you left the pitch sometimes,” Albus suggested in a mock-helpful voice. “I’ve gotten plenty of dates from you being a professional quidditch player,” he added, laughing.

“Dead helpful that’s been to me,” James pouted.

“We can go out this week and I’ll be your wing-man.”

“Can you pull that off?” James asked, his interest piqued.

“Of course.”

It was Thursday before their schedules allowed the two Potter brothers to go out to a pub to help James meet a pretty witch. Dragon Tail was a popular place for younger witches and wizards to hang out. Al least no one their parents age frequented the pub.

“You know,” Al started and they started in on their first drinks for the evening – butterbeer and mulled mead – “I think Rose has some friends who are single.”

“You’re not calling tonight quits yet, are you?” James teased with a crooked smirk. “You don’t have to snog someone just to be the wingman.”

“That’s too bad, he’s quite good at it,” came a voice that caused Albus’ stomach to lurch excitedly. He turned to see Brandon, running a hand through his hair. “I saw you two here and thought I’d say hi.”

“How’ve you been, Bran?” James asked as if greeting an old friend.

Albus, on the other hand hurriedly took a gulp of butterbeer and wished he had ordered something a bit stronger. “Brandon,” he finally got out. “Nice seeing you here.”

“I’ve been quite well, thanks,” Brandon said over the noise of the pub. He took a moment to answer Al – perhaps he was remembering the last time they enjoyed drinks together and snogged in a bathroom. “It’s a pleasure to see you,” he added before downing a gulp from his pint glass.

“Why don’t you join us?” James asked, pulling out a chair. “We’re trying to find me a date.”

“There’s a group of witches over there,” Brandon pointed to a small group in the corner. “At least one of them has to have a weakness for hunky blokes who are good on a broom.”

Al frowned for a moment trying to work out if that was a pass at his brother. “Maybe one will even fancy you, James,” he quipped, taking the low shot.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” James said darkly, taking a long draw from his glass. “No time like the present.”

They made Albus go initiate conversation with the women as he’d be less wounded by the rejection than James. Brandon and James watched as Al chatted with the group of women, both trying not to stare but wanting to see how it was going.

“I’m glad you could make it out tonight,” James told Brandon.

“I thought you said Al wanted to see me,” Brandon said with a glance in the other man’s direction to check he was still busy with his task.

“He does,” James assured him. “He just didn’t know you’d be here tonight,” he added, grinning.

Albus and Brandon had met up for drinks a few times since their breakup but neither seemed to contain their behavior to friendly interaction – they usually ended up with one of their backs against an alley wall being kissed fiercely by the other. Neither objected to this happening but it caused confusing pang that lasted for days afterwards.

Several minutes into his quest to engage the witches, Albus returned with a triumphant grin. “They’d like to play darts,” he announced as if he’d just negotiated peace between two warring nations.

James laughed and stood from his chair before declaring, “It’s going to be a good night.” Catching the gleam in Brandon’s eyes, Albus silently agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't read through Pure Intentions yet be sure to give it a read for the precursor events that lead into this story.


	2. Such Great Heights

The drawing had to be just right for the new packaging of the Skiving Snackbox. Albus was put in charge of marketing the Hogwarts Line of merchandise for Weasley Wizarding Wheezes but his concentration was being interrupted by memories of the previous night and the kiss he had shared with Brandon. It had been a brief, fluttering exchange upon departure from the bar but in Albus’ dreams it had turned into much more. It was his focus, on work and other thoughts, which caused Albus not to notice Rose’s presence in the store until she was right up to the counter. 

“I could just walk out with anything and you’d never notice,” Rose giggled as Al started at the sound of her voice.

Looking towards the door, Al said, “I didn’t hear the bell.”

“Oh, that’s because I silenced it,” she explained, flourishing her wand.

Al raised his eyebrows, as if asking if that was supposed to be impressive. “Did you stop by to show off your prowess at the silencing charm?” Albus inquired, tapping his quill against the counter.

“I thought you might want a demonstration,” she said nonchalantly. “You probably need to brush up on the basics with all the advanced work you’re doing here.”

“Hmm,” was all Al mustered for a response. His mind was on pressing matters that did not include his cousin’s banter.

A fleeting look of annoyance crossed Rose’s face at Albus’ despondence. Making a note to revisit his distance, Rose decided to push on with her own issues first. “I might go crazy at my job,” she announced, causing Al’s attention to snap to the conversation.

“Crazier, you mean,” he corrected her with a mischievous smirk. “What’s going so horrible at your job that you’re liable to end up in long-term care at St. Mungo’s?”

Rose looked as if she had been holding in this rant for a while when she started with, “I’m losing mental faculty doing the same boring tasks day-in-day-out.”

“Why don’t you quit and find another job?” he suggested, not seeing the dilemma that caused his cousin to get as worked up as she was acting.

With a loud sound of exasperation, Rose pressed two fingers into her forehead. “You couldn’t understand. Your parents are just dandy with whatever you want to do. Mum wants me to have a sensible job at the Ministry,” Rose bemoaned. “Even worse, she got me the job I have now because it involves travel – which she thinks is what I want to do for work.”

“I…” Al was searching his memory banks for the last time he and Rose talked about careers; it had been a while back. “I thought you liked travel.”

“I do but that doesn’t mean I want to monitor traffic on the Floo network,” she said as if this were obviously not the kind of travel she’d be interested in. “It is, however, a job that will lead to ‘ _a bright future at the Ministry’_ according to Mum.”

This was out of Albus’ range for advice giving but he couldn’t let Rose hang out to dry. “Is it that bad to stick with it for a while?” he proposed tentatively. Rose’s eyes narrowed as her brows contracted, clearly telling Al that his consolation missed its mark. “Or talk to Uncle Ron about it. He’s less…” Al paused to search for a polite word to describe his aunt’s fervor for hard work and drive.

“Nutters?” Rose supplied shortly. “I would but Dad runs away from these discussions like a quaffle from a beater’s bat. I don’t know if he agrees with Mum but he doesn’t speak up about it,” she said forlornly.

Searching for a change of topic, Albus asked, “Why aren’t you at work now?” It was barely two in the afternoon and he was certain Rose’s job went until four or so.

“Oh, you know, told them Mum wanted a word with me,” she grinned. Al started to laugh and shake his head in slight disbelief. “So, are you going to tell me why your head was in the clouds when I came in?”

The question caught Albus off-guard. “I was busy… with work,” he stammered, unable to keep a respectable amount of conviction in his voice. When Rose didn’t respond and only drummed her fingers against the counter, Al confessed. “Last night I had a nice snog with Brandon and, well, I was thinking about it.”

“You’ve been sitting on that news and didn’t tell me? Or owl me as soon as you got back?” Rose asked with the excitement she always showed for good relationship gossip.

“It’s not really news…”

Rose slammed her hand down on the counter, causing more noise than she intended. “What do you mean, ‘not news’? Have you been snogging him often?” Albus just ginned quite dopily, causing a squeal from Rose. “Are you going to go out on a proper date or just snog him?”

The thought of proper dating caused Al’s face to fall. “It’s not that simple, Rose.” At a loss, Rose crossed her arms in a silent demand for more information. “I just mean I don’t know if I want to go on and _properly_ _date_ him.”

“Come off it, Albus, you were devastated when he ended things,” she pushed, not able to understand why he would miss another chance with someone who made him so happy.

“Scorpius is-“

“You’re dating him again?” Rose asked incredulously. “I get you’re friends but he wasn’t that good to you, Al.”

“He’s changed a lot since then.” Rose and Scorpius had seen each other on several occasions since their breakup and she kept some reservations about the ex she and Albus shared. She liked Scorpius as a friend but hadn’t done anything to keep their relationship at more than acquaintances. “And, he’s started seeing someone else.”

“Merlin, you have fabulous timing,” Rose scoffed. “Are you going to try to date _him_ then?”

It was Al’s turn to rub his forehead out of stress. “I just don’t know,” Al sighed, biting his lip.

“Look, Albus Severus Potter,” Rose’s voice came abruptly as it usually did when she was imparting words of wisdom. “You can’t sit in the between two brooms as they’re about to take off, hesitating on which you’d rather be on. If you wait too long neither will be there for you.”

Albus was momentarily amazed that his cousin, who was the least interested in quidditch out of all his family, would make a flying analogy. “Maybe I should delay their departures,” he said with a mischievous laugh.

“You work on that, Romeo,” she laughed. “I should head back to work. Mum will kill me if she knows I skived off for the afternoon.”

\---

Scorpius wasn’t expecting a visit from Albus but welcomed it nonetheless. Albus offered up the excuse that he needed to visit to discuss the flyers they were passing out at his uncle’s shop, but his questions had been about details they discussed a few days prior.

“How long should we pass these out?” Albus asked, hoping that Scorpius wouldn’t ask why he was asking such obvious questions about work they regularly did between the two shops.

“Two weeks should work,” Scorpius reminded him, feeling his cheeks grow warm as his mind wandered to the possible ulterior motives Albus could have for showing up unexpectedly.

“Great, I’ll tell Uncle George.” Albus waited a few moments, taking the opportunity to glance around the small shop, before moving onto the topic he really wanted to discuss. “How was your date with Corbin?”

In the time it took Scorpius to begin his answer, Al worried that he had been too transparent by jumping to a question about Scorpius’ new love interest. “It was really nice,” Scorpius said, not wanting to sound _too_ excited – not if Albus was suddenly showing romantic interest in him again. “He made me dinner and we listened to the Warlock Choir on the WWN.”

Albus felt a twinge as he listened to Scorpius describe a perfectly romantic evening. He had to poke a hole in the promising Corbin somehow. “The Warlock Choir? They croon more than they sing,” Albus said with a laugh.

“They were pretty popular when Corbin was at Hogwarts,” Scorpius explained with a shrug.

“Was he at Hogwarts with my parents?” Albus teased, hoping that Scorpius would not take offense to a bit of poking fun.

“Witty, Potter. Corbin is in his 30’s, so, I’m pretty sure he went well after your dad graced the halls of Hogwarts.”

Thinking that Corbin would have quite the established life at this point, Albus decided to press for more information. “What does he do, being in his 30’s?”

Thankfully, Scorpius was quite eager to talk more about Corbin and didn’t question why Albus would show so much interest in the man he was dating. “It sounds like he’s done a few things, nothing consistent since he’s been out of school. But, school was so long ago for him that we hardly talk about it. Right now he’s in book publishing.”

“How did you two meet?” Albus asked, wondering what would bring a book publisher to cross paths with a potioneer.

“He was early for an appointment at Flourish and Blotts one afternoon and stopped in here to have a look around,” Scorpius recounted with a bleary-eyed look on his face. “He couldn’t stay long but asked if I would have drinks with him that evening – he was interested in the Mooncycle potion.”

“I can tell his interest in you is centered on potions,” Al laughed, nudging Scorpius playfully.

“Well, I thought he just wanted to talk business,” Scorpius insisted. “That is until he said I was attractive,” he said, dropping his voice to a quiet murmur.

“Anyone with eyes should be able to spot that,” Albus said, moving slightly closer to Scorpius. “It hardly makes him remarkable.”

Scorpius gulped, his eyes darting to the door, then on Al’s approaching face. Licking his lips, and wondering why it had taken them so long to do this, Scorpius leaned into the soft kiss and returned it with tender passion.

\---

Brandon’s eyebrows were knitted together in concentration as reviewed the Wyatt case, which was especially troubling and it would likely involve taking a child into protective custody. The elevator ride to the Atrium was the best time for solitary thoughts. He was debating asking Fredericks to accompany him as backup when the elevator rang and he heard a person enter.

It was the slender arm pulling him into a tight hug that caused Brandon to snap out of his reverie. Red hair obscured his vision as he heard “Brandon!” exclaimed from a young woman’s mouth.

“R-Rose…” he stammered as she released him from the iron grip of her arm. “How are you?” he asked, hitching on a grin. It was hard to pull out of work-mode and be social, but Brandon wanted to give it his best effort.

“I’m okay,” she huffed. Before Brandon could ask what was wrong, she continued, “I’m just not sure a job at the Ministry is for me.”

The elevator door opened to the Atrium and they both stepped out. “The Ministry isn’t for everyone, Rose,” Bran offered as he held the elevator door open. “Do you want to talk about it? You seem a bit upset.”

Nodding, Rose walked over to a bench facing an ornate fountain in the Atrium and took a seat. “I like sitting here,” she commented, watching the water flow down the filigree.

“It’s quite a beautiful place,” Brandon agreed as he turned to face Rose. “Tell me about your job woes.”

It was clear from Rose’s long diatribe about her job that she wasn’t in the right profession. “It’s really Mum that I’m worried about letting down,” Rose confessed. “She wants me to have a useful job.”

“Well, all jobs _are_ useful. Otherwise you wouldn’t get paid to do it,” Brandon reasoned with a half-formed smile. “Have you told her what you want to do?”

“I’ve never tried to really define it with other words than interesting and travel,” Rose sighed slightly melodramatically.

“Why don’t you try explaining it to me? I can be a good sounding board,” he offered with an encouraging smile.

Rose looked slightly apprehensive but took a steadying breath and pulled together several disparate thoughts she’d been kicking around. “I want to help people travel – to go see magical places around Europe. There’s not a good way for people to find or get to some of the less well-known historic locations.”

Nodding slowly, Brandon said, “I could see how that would be a good job. Would this be your own company?”

“I think so. At least I don’t know of anyone who does this,” Rose said, feeling that she couldn’t possibly get her mother to see this idea as a respectable future. Not wanting to waste an opportunity to wheedle information from Brandon about his feelings for Al, Rose changed the topic. “I’ve just talked about myself for the last 20 minutes. What have you been up to?”

It was a vague question but Brandon guessed she knew a thing or two about his recent run-ins with Albus. “I’ve been travelling a bit, actually,” he said, not wanting to discuss his relationship with Al when things were so fluid between them.

“Has this been for business or pleasure?” Rose asked, waggling her eyebrows.

“Are the two incompatible?” he laughed. “Business, actually. Most of my work entails the safety of young witches and wizards but I went sent to Belgium to track down a suspected Dark wizard.”

With a slight frown, Rose asked, “Isn’t that dangerous?”

“It is, but that’s the kind of work I do,” Bran said solemnly. “Though, it’s like I said, I only pull that kind of assignment once in a while.”

Feeling her worry assuaged, Rose grinned. “Good. I would hate for something horrible to happen to you.”


	3. Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Steam was wafting from the pot of mushroom bisque when Corbin’s voice reached Scorpius. “What sort of cheese do you have?” he asked, adding a few last minute toppings to the salad he was preparing. They were spending the evening together before Corbin had to leave on business for some time. Scorpius was sad that he wouldn’t spend time with Corbin for an indeterminate period of time but was slightly relieved that he’d be able to sort out his feelings for Albus in peace.

“I have parmesan in the cooler,” Scorpius told him as he gave the soup a good stir. “The rolls should be done any minute and the soup will take another five.”

Corbin kissed Scorpius on the check and said, “I’ll set the table then.” With a wave of his wand, Corbin conducted the plates, flatware, and place settings to the small dining table in Scorpius’ flat. Corbin then lit two candles in a simple candelabra to provide a romantic mood for their dinner.

“On your left,” Scorpius called as the food floated towards the table. “I picked up some wine too,” he said as the sound of clinking glass signaled his departure from the small kitchen.

The small pop of cork being removed from glass caused Corbin to look towards Scorpius who was precariously carrying two wine glasses and an open wine bottle, his wand lay forgotten in the kitchen. “We should let this breath before drinking it,” Corbin told him, taking the bottle to free up Scorpius’ hand.

There were both seated after a few moments of serving food and adjusting their seats slightly to sit slightly closer together. The table was just large enough for one chair on each side and its position in the corner caused Corbin and Scorpius to sit close enough for their knees to touch while they ate.

“What is it taking you out of the country?” Scorpius asked after Corbin poured their wine. It had evidently breathed enough to be consumed.

“Books of course,” Corbin smiled wryly. “I’ll be in Paris to discuss an idea I’ve been kicking around,” he added.

His interest piqued, Scorpius asked, “What’s this hot, new business idea?” From his limited knowledge of book selling, there weren’t very many _new_ ideas to be had.

“I got the idea from your shop, actually,” Corbin said, letting Scorpius’ curiosity build. “Romance novels are always decent sellers but they could gain even more devout followers with just a touch of aphrodisiac infused in the book.”

Scorpius frowned slightly as he mulled the idea over, not sure if it seemed entirely above board. “Wouldn’t that be… well, I’m not sure, but is that legal?”

Chuckling softly, Corbin put his hand on Scorpius’ leg. “It’s certainly not illegal. You’ll find that laws don’t outline what you’re allowed to do but what you’re absolutely not to do.”

Not really sure what he made of the idea, Scorpius decided that it was rather cunning. Scorpius recalled that Corbin had been in Ravenclaw and the idea suddenly made sense. It was after all, wit beyond measure was man’s greatest treasure. “Why is Paris a good place to start with this venture?”

“It’s the city of lights and love,” Corbin said with a sparkle in blue eyes. “That and the bookstores there are more open to new ideas. Flourish and Blotts, well, they’ve been around too long to adventure out with something interesting.”

“Flourish and Blotts was one of the stores that tried to block me opening shop here,” Scorpius commented. Remembering the support he did receive when starting his potions business, Scorpius’ mind snapped to Albus and their recent… encounter.

It was almost as if Corbin read Scorpius’ mind, or just saw the conflict blur his eyes. “I see you have a new flyer for Weasley Wizard Wheezes,” he commented in a slightly cool voice. Scorpius had explained his relationship with Albus to Corbin on one of their early dates. Being new to the adult dating scene, he didn’t know the etiquette for discussing past love interests. While his conversation had been cautious and the details high level, Corbin knew enough – that Albus had been the only man he loved. Jealously was understandable as Corbin was still trying to wedge into Scorpius’ affections.

“Albus stopped by with one the other day,” Scorpius said in an even voice. While that had been the purpose of Albus’ visit, they had not been all business while he was there. “His uncle often sends him over with flyers.”

“I don’t like that you see him so often,” Corbin stated in a quiet but firm voice.

Years of having his life dictated by others caused Scorpius to catch the intent behind this comment. He would not relinquish autonomy but he did not want to push Corbin away. “He’s one of my oldest friends,” Scorpius explained delicately. “There’s nothing between us anymore,” Scorpius falsely reassured him, trying not to remember how Al’s hands felt on his body or how they’d fallen over his kitchen table in a passionate but uncoordinated flurry. Instead, Scorpius held Corbin’s hand tenderly and gave it a squeeze.

“It’s silly of me to second-guess your friendship with him,” Corbin agreed, returning the squeeze.

That evening Corbin erased thoughts of Albus from Scorpius’ mind as they listened to gentle tunes on the WWN and enjoyed each other’s company for the last time in a number of week. Corbin made Scorpius feel like an adult, which he hardly felt at other times in his life. Fierce passion seemed to guide Corbin’s actions with Scorpius, causing them to melt together – one into the other.

Scorpius woke up the next morning feeling content with warm, luxurious blankets surrounding him and Corbin’s strong arm casually draped over his chest. It was clear from his position in bed and breathing that Corbin was awake before Scorpius.

Stroking the soft skin of Scorpius’ cheek, Corbin wished him a good morning.  “You are magnificent,” Corbin told him, leaning on his arm so that he was just over Scorpius’ face. In a fluid movement, Corbin’s hand snaked to the back of Scorpius’ head and gently pulled at his hair. “You are mine,” he whispered into Scorpius’ neck, his lips brushing skin as he spoke.

It was difficult for Scorpius to process words with the jolt of pleasure he felt with Corbin’s hands and lips assaulting his senses. Instead, he inhaled sharply and managed, “Yours,” in response. He was rewarded with a crushing, possessive kiss from the man on top of him. “All yours,” Scorpius iterated.

\---

 

Albus hurried through the atrium, trying to avoid eye contact with as many people as possible. Any trip to the Ministry without some person wanting a word with him about his parents or how they remember when he was just a wee lad was marked as a good trip. James always enjoyed the attention from strangers but Albus figured that’s why his brother sought a career in the public eye.

Once safely in the elevator with the button for Level Two pushed, Albus leant against the wall and waited. He was on his way to meet his father for lunch as he did periodically. Going into Auror Headquarters in the middle of the day wasn’t too bad for Albus. Usually the offices were cleared out by 10 am and didn’t fill back up until at least 3. Since Al had spent a few weeks among the aurors, it was generally not too bad to get caught in conversation with the ones he ran into during the day.

Harry looked up when Albus opened the door to his office, then checked his watch. “Lunch kind of crept up on me, Al,” Harry said, glancing down at the file he was reviewing. “Would you mind waiting about for 20 or so minutes while I finish this?”

“I don’t mind, Dad,” Albus smiled as he stomach gurgled. “I’ll be around the department.”

Deciding that it was worth seeing if Brandon was at his desk, Albus wandered to the cubicle where he had first been introduced to Brandon Savage. If he wasn’t there, it would give Albus an opportunity for some good sleuthing through Brandon’s desk.

Brandon, like Harry, was bent over a sheaf of parchment with his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. “If you keep that up, you’ll get wrinkles,” Albus called with a tone of mirth in his voice.

Starting slightly, Brandon jerked his head in Albus’ direction. “Hey you,” Bran said as he pushed back from his desk. “I’d offer you a seat but all spare surfaces here are covered in cases. I’m a bit behind.”

“So is Dad,” Al commented as he looked around Brandon’s cube. “He asked me to wait for him before we catch lunch.” Taking a moment to listen for other people nearby, Albus said, “I’ll take a seat here, if you don’t mind,” as he nestled down in Brandon’s lap.

It wasn’t quite the graceful move he hoped it would be, having bumped a few files and scattered parchment around the desk, but the intake of breath from Brandon told Al that he had triggered a positive response. “I’m not sure this is the appropriate place…” Brandon started to say but his hands were resting on Albus’ leg nonetheless.

“Would you prefer we were in some poorly lit bar?” Albus asked with a grin.

“Not necessarily. Just not at my desk where anyone could walk by,” Brandon explained with the voice of a man trying to appear calm and at ease. “There is a place we could go – follow me.”

Albus was on his feet and being led by Brandon into a part of the department he hadn’t visited before. The air was stale and they seemed to be going into some sort of archive room. “I take it people don’t visit here often,” Albus observed as the light from Bran’s recently lit wand highlighted the amount of dust they were kicking up.

“Not terribly often,” Brandon agreed.

Brandon must have thought they were far enough removed from likely interruptions as he, without preamble, leant down and kissed Albus hungrily. Wrapping his arms around the other man’s neck, Albus fell into the kiss with reckless passion. Being close to Brandon lit a fire in his stomach and kissing him only added fuel to the flame.

“We have to stop doing this,” Brandon muttered after minutes of kissing.

“It’s our first time running off to the archives to kiss,” Albus joked, not wanting to hear about stopping anything with Brandon.

“I mean we need to stop just randomly snogging when we see each other,” Brandon explained, resting his forehead against Albus’. “I want more.”

 “But this isn’t a good place for shagging,” Albus teased, letting his hands wander.

“I mean I’d like to take you on a date,” Brandon breathed heavily. “Then shag you senseless.”

 Albus’ heart was fluttering and his palms were suddenly sweating. “I’d like that,” he confessed, feeling glad the poorly lit room wouldn’t show his blush. “Quite a bit,” Albus added.

Their lips met again but were rudely interrupted minutes later by sense telling Albus that his dad would go looking for him soon. It was that thought which pulled Albus away from Brandon, who seemed to understand. “Time for lunch?” he asked, giving Albus’ hand a squeeze.

“In about five minutes,” Albus said, consulting his watch.

Brandon looked around the room before grabbing a case sitting on top of the filing cabinet with an explanation of, “I should look like I was back here for something,” before leading the way back to his desk. Once they were safely back at his desk, Brandon set the case on the stack he was doing paperwork for then asked, “What about Friday night?”

“For our date?” Albus clarified. Seeing Brandon’s eyebrows shoot into his dark hair as a response, Albus laughed heartily. “I’m free Friday.”

“Good. There’s a place that I’d like to take you. It’s French so I’ll have to write down the name,” he said reaching for parchment and quill. Brandon had the quill in hand but was distracted staring at the case he had grabbed. With a shake of his head he wrote _La Petite Douceur_ and an address. “I’ll get us a table for seven.”

Albus took the piece of parchment and carefully folded it before stowing it in his pocket. “Sounds like I’ll be wearing dress robes,” he smiled crookedly. “Better than-“

“Here you are, Albus,” Harry called from a few feet away. “I should have looked here first.”

“Afternoon, Potter,” Brandon said with a wave to Harry.

“You’re behind on paperwork too?” Harry noticed as he looked in Savage’s cubicle. “It’s that time of year,” he laughed. Harry glanced from his son’s glowing face and Brandon’s flushed but slightly drawn visage and was on the verge of asking if everything was alright but decided he wouldn’t pry, assuming that they had been engaged in activity he’d rather not be privy to.

\---

Rose enjoyed being home before her family – especially on sunny afternoons when light was pouring into the sitting room. Once her parents got home they’d go on about issues at the Ministry and current events that were rather droll. Hugo sometimes spent his time quietly reading but would often find it more amusing to prod Rose with whatever quips he spent the day concocting.

It was this time of peace and reflection that allowed Rose the ability to read through her travel magazines delivered through the muggle post and catch up on magical history for the locations highlighted in the articles. Her mother’s voice, shrill and quite angry, tore Rose from her leisure.

“Rose Ginevra Weasley,” Hermione called from the next room. “A word. If. You. Please.”

There were a limited number of transgressions that would cause her mum to be quite so stern. Rose had a shrewd suspicion what it was that got her in the hot seat this time. Straightening her back, Rose marched into the family room where Hermione stood with her arms crossed and a foot tapping as if every moment she waited for Rose to appear had increased her ire.

“Would you like to explain to me why you’ve been skiving off your job?” she asked as soon as Rose entered the room.

“I-“ Rose started but was cut off.

“I won’t have any of your excuses,” Hermione said briskly. “I went to see if you were free to come home and Mrs. Edgecomb informed me that you were already gone for the day.”

Rose couldn’t think of an answer to this that wouldn’t dig the hole she was in deeper so she stood there in silence, wondering if her mum’s ears would soon emit steam at the rate she was reddening.

“Even worse,” she added venomously, “is that she was under the impression that you were with _me_.”

“I’m sorry, Mum,” Rose cut in, hoping to stem the flow of lecture.

“You’re _sorry_?” Hermione laughed rather coldly. “I asked for Mrs. Edgecomb to make room for you in her department and now you’re flouncing about the job – leaving whenever you please?”

Rose could see where this was going. The issue, though her mum would never say it, was that this reflected poorly on her and her status in the Ministry. “It’s not like the job matters, Mum,” Rose retorted, not especially caring if she was being rude.

Ron’s voice came from the front door, causing a momentary ceasefire between Rose and Hermione – both of whom were wearing angry expressions. “Afterno-“ Ron stopped and glanced between his wife and daughter. “I think I left a thing at the office.”

“Don’t you walk out on this, Ronald,” Hermione snapped. “Your daughter has been derelict at her job and leaving whenever she pleases.”

“Well it’s a dull-“ Ron changed direction at Hermione’s reproachful look. “but important job at the Ministry,” he finished with bravado.

Rolling her eyes, Rose went on, “It’s a mindless job that could be done by a trained pixie.”

“It’s a good job that needs smart people doing it,” Hermione insisted. “Rose, darling, you’re among the next leaders of our society.”

“You both,” Rose gestured at her parents, “and Uncle Harry saved the Wizarding world then went on to fix the government. No one needs me to save the world from a hiccup in the Floo Network.”

Hermione looked affronted by this statement. “And you’d rather what? Trot around the globe as people go on holiday? It’s a youthful lark, not a lasting career.”

Rose was stung by the fact that her mother didn’t take her career idea as a serious endeavor. It felt unfair that Hugo, Albus, and James were pursuing their _youthful larks_ but Rose was ridiculed for wanting to follow hers. “You’re just as bad as Scorpius’ parents. They were all about pushing him into a life he didn’t want,” she spat, hoping to hurt her parents.

The words had the effect as her mum gasped quietly and her dad scowled at the comparison. Not giving them a chance to berate her for the harsh words, Rose stormed past her parents and up to her room, locking it with her wand. Grabbing her rucksack and her freshly laundered clothes, Rose decided to give her parents a few days to reconsider where her career ranked in their list of priorities.

“Rose,” Hermione called from the door. “Come out here this instant. You can’t just storm out on your father and me.” There was a few moments paused before Hermione said, “This is _not_ how adults behave.”

Throwing the rucksack over her shoulder, Rose opened the door and pushed past her mother. “You’re right, Mum. It’s not how adults behave but it’s part of a youthful lark.”

Hermione followed behind Rose as she descended the stairs. “Where are you going?” she asked, panic sounding with every word.

Rose didn’t answer or look back as she heard her dad call, “Rosie, wait.” She knew where she would go but wasn’t sure if she’d be a welcome guest. Hoping that he would be the most understanding of her predicament, Rose spun on the spot and left her home with a pop.


	4. In the Waiting Line

Waking up in Scorpius’ arms was a slight shock to Rose only until she remembered the actions that had brought her to his flat in Diagon Alley. It was the first time she had ever woken up with a man before – all her sexual encounters with Scorpius and other boyfriends ended with them in their separate beds for the night. Stifling a laugh, Rose reflected that her first time spending the night with a bloke did not include hot, steamy passion.

Rose’s stirring in bed caused Scorpius to open his eyes in the early morning light and see red hair strewn across his pillow. It took a few moments for the previous evening to come back to him as he recalled the pounding on his door, stricken look on Rose’s face, and being unable to her away - not when she was in such a state.

“Thank you for letting me stay over,” Rose whispers, becoming aware of her morning breath and the need to brush her teeth.

Noticing the smudges of what appeared to be eyeliner under Rose’s eyes, causing her to look much older, Scorpius wondered how much effort girls put into their appearance before answering. “It was nothing, Rose. I’m glad you had somewhere to go.”

Smiling, Rose continued, “I just thought you’d know what I was going through with parents who are so controlling.”

This caused a frown to crease Scorpius’ face. “I’m not sure our parents are quite the same,” he commented frostily.

“What do you mean?” Rose asked, propping herself up on an arm. “Yours were against you opening your shop so you- “

“That’s not what happened,” Scorpius interrupted. “Didn’t Albus tell you about my parents?” Scorpius sat up, breaking the languid mood between them.

“No…” Rose started slowly. “When he told me you two dated he didn’t go into a lot of details but I thought he was just being private about – well, I didn’t push him for more than he gave.” Rose paused as she started to wonder if she had missed something obvious to other people. “And, well, when you moved out from Malfoy Manor I just thought it was to have more freedom.”

The laugh the Scorpius let out was colder than he intended. “It was for more freedom,” he said, trying to keep his tone away from the derisive sarcasm he felt building up. “After we broke up, they wanted me to date another witch and, well,” Scorpius paused, suddenly aware of how damaging the next part of his sentence could be. “You’re a terrific girl, er, woman, but I don’t generally fancy women.” The words came out slowly as Scorpius saw the jolt of this news hit Rose. “When we were dating I was just trying to make my parents happy. The thing is when we broke up I told them I wouldn’t date someone just to make them happy anymore,” he finished, returning to the point he meant to make.

To Scorpius’ abject horror, tears were visible on Rose’s cheeks. “I didn’t know,” she said in a low voice. Wrapping her arms around Scorpius’ shoulders, Rose added, “It must be so lonely to have your family not accept you for who you are.”

“It’s been better since I’ve been out on my own,” Scorpius assured Rose, patting her hair. “It’s just – I wouldn’t lightly put aside my family.”

Rose pulled back from Scorpius and narrowed her eyes. “Are you saying that I’m being frivolous?” she asked in a harsh tone.

“N-no,” he stammered. “It’s not frivolous at all but I don’t know if it’s worth alienation. Family is all some people have and you have a lot of family. You’d be giving up more than your parents.”

Deciding to grapple with that thought before doing anything with it, Rose asked a question that had been nagging her for the minutes since Scorpius’ confession. “Did you _like_ me while we were together?” she asked, her cheeks flushing at the burgeoning self-consciousness that sprouted in her.

It was Scorpius’ turn to blush, except where Rose turned a deep red, his cheeks were tinted with a light shade of pink. He wasn’t sure how to explain his feelings for Rose to himself, let alone to her. They were at best, complicated. “I liked you and…” Scorpius couldn’t think of words that didn’t make him sound like a wretched pig. The ones that came tumbling out were horrid and awkward. “You were wonderful to date and I was attracted to you…”

Rose averted her eyes at mention of their past intimacy. “That’s reassuring at least,” she murmured as the weight of embarrassment pushed down on her.

“I’m so sorry, Rose… I honestly thought you knew but, Merlin, I must sound like a complete wart but… I was giving girls a go and honestly thought I’d be happy enough with you – and I was,” Scorpius said hoping that he was in some way redeeming himself.

“I… I understand,” Rose reassured him not really feeling that understand quite described her feelings. Wanting to get out of the conversation they were having, Rose let out a laugh and said, “How about we get dressed and I buy you breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron?’

“That sounds lovely,” Scorpius agreed before darting out of bed.

Suddenly aware that she was in just a shirt and underthings, Rose carefully dressed as to not reveal more skin than was necessary. She suddenly felt like an obtrusive presence though Scorpius gave her no reason to feel that way. Scorpius finished dressing quite fast and waited for Rose outside of the bedroom to give her privacy while she got ready.

When she emerged, fully dressed and make-up resituated on her face, Scorpius noticed her rucksack was over her shoulder. “Going home after breakfast?” he asked, not wanting to sound like he wasn’t willing to welcome her back.

“Oh, no, just going to crash with Lily. I don’t want to intrude on your life too much,” she smiled with false bravado.

A meal at the Leaky Cauldron always felt like eating at home for Rose. Her parents were friends with the owner, Hannah, and her husband Neville. Rose always felt torn between school-appropriate formality and family-friend casualness when she saw the Longbottoms in public as they had been Professor and Mrs. Longbottom while she was at Hogwarts.

Hannah greeted them both with a welcoming smile. “Nice to see you, Rosie,” she said with a hug that squeezed Rose tightly. “And you, Scorpius,” came Hannah’s slightly more cordial voice. “In for breakfast?” she asked, eyeing the two teenagers.

“Breakfast sounds great,” Rose said, leading Scorpius to a table. Once they were seated, Rose puffed her cheeks out for a moment before exhaling loudly. “Great, she’ll probably owl Dad and tell him where I’m at.”

“You’re not on the run,” Scorpius reminded her with a laugh.

“Clearly you don’t know my dad _that_ well. He probably has a small taskforce of aurors looking for me,” Rose said with a glance around the pub.

Trying not to sound dour, Scorpius said, “It must be nice to be missed.”

Rose’s face fell with the reminder that the wizard across from her had sacrificed so much for his autonomy. “Have you seen your parent since you left?” Rose asked quietly.

“Not Father,” Scorpius told her, looking into his tea. “Mum has stopped by the shop on occasion. We’ve lunched together a few times too.”

The both stopped talking and glanced up and Hannah who was approaching them with two patters of food hovering at shoulder height. “Here’s your favorite, Rosie,” she said cheerily, setting down eggs and bacon with toast. “And yours, Scorpius,” she added as she placed porridge with a side of fruit on the table. “Let me know if you need anything else, dears.”

“Has your mum tried talking your dad around?” Rose asked, breaking the yolks of her eggs with the nice, crisp bacon.

“Of course,” Scorpius said curtly as he took a bite of porridge. “He’s… unwilling to show weakness or compromise.”

“I really wish I could help reconcile you,” Rose told Scorpius earnestly. “I see your point though – about alienating family.”

Scorpius smiled through the mouthful of breakfast he was contending with. As they ate, mostly in silence, Scorpius wondered if they’d be able to be friends after unearthing the hidden truth behind their previous romance. Time would tell.

\---

Albus looked up at the leaning home his mum grew up in and at the overgrown garden that surrounded it. He always liked visiting the Burrow when it was just him, Nana, and Granddad so that he could enjoy a conversation with his grandparents without vying for attention with so many cousins around.

“Albus!” Nana called when she spotted him walking up the garden path. Opening the kitchen door, she welcomed her grandson with open arms. “It’s so good to see you. How are you dear? Are you eating enough living with James? You’re so thin but, then again, your father has always been thin.” She said all of this while holding Albus in a warm hug.

“I’m good, Gran,” Albus said when she released him and he could fill his lungs with air. “James and I eat plenty – though neither of us are that good at cooking. Not like you and Mum.”

“Oh, you’re sweet,” Molly said, smiling. “Granddad is just in the sitting room, reading the Prophet, I think. Arthur!” she called loudly. “Albus is here.”

“I’ll go get him,” Albus said as he cut through the kitchen towards the sitting room. Poking his head into the sunlit room, he could see his granddad asleep with the newspaper draped over his chest.

Moving quietly into the room, Albus sat on the lo`veseat across from his granddad. The creak of the old springs caused the elderly wizard to start. “Oh, Harry,” he said looking around wildly, adjusting his glasses. “Sorry, Albus,” Granddad corrected himself once his glasses were secured on his nose. “You do look an awful lot like your dad.”

“I’ve heard that once or twice,” Al said, smiling at his granddad. While comparison between Albus and his dad often caused irritation, Al had boundless tolerance for his grandparents’ fumbles and frequent reminiscing.

“Did you read that the muggles are coming out with flying cars?” Arthur asked leaning towards his grandson with a gleam of excitement in his eyes. “I once had a flying car- “

“And you nearly lost your job over it,” came Nana’s stern voice from the doorway. “Lunch is on,” she announced.

Albus took a seat at the table and looked at the food that was laid out. “Are we expecting more people for lunch?” he asked as he shoveled food on his plate.

“Not that I’m aware of, why?”

“It’s just a lot of food for three people,” Albus commented with a mouth full of Shepard’s pie.

“I thought you could take some home – for you and James,” Molly told him with a fond smile.

Arthur was looking at his wife with a fondness that made Albus wonder if he remembered that there was company over. “Thank you, Nana,” Albus said loud enough to snap his granddad out of his loving reverie.

They ate in silence for most of the meal, except when Albus or Granddad had to compliment a particularly delicious dish. Once the meal had slowed down, Arthur glanced at his wife before asking, “Do you want to see the schematics I have for my old flying car?”

Nodding, Albus finished his bite of beans before saying, “That sounds great. Uncle Ron told me about the car before and that he and Dad flew it to Hogwarts once.”  A look of maternal sternness passed over Nana’s face causing Albus to add, “They were telling me about the risks of breaking rules at the time.”

Once they were out in the old shed Arthur used to tinker, both with a glass of pumpkin juice to keep them refreshed, Albus looked around the workshop to see if there were any obvious additions to the space. Since retiring, Arthur expanded his shed using an undetectable extension charm and was slowly adding more muggle devices for him to fiddle with.

“I think my old Anglia notes are over here,” Granddad muttered as he opened a file cabinet drawer. A few minutes of shuffling paper later, he exclaimed, “Here they are!”

He handed the notes and drawing to Albus, who was glancing them over trying to make out the faded writing. “You made it _invisible_?” he asked with an uninhibited tone of incredulity.

“Ah, yes, the invisibility booster – quite tricky to get right,” Arthur recalled, rubbing his chin. “Which, by Ron and Harry’s account, I didn’t!”

“If muggles were to come out with flying cars, you wouldn’t need it,” Al offered, still looking over notes on the flying car.

“Now, come on, Al. Muggles won’t be able to work out a flying car for some time still. They don’t have magic for one,” Granddad said heartily. “How they manage…” he added with a chuckle.

Setting down the notes, Albus looked around the shop to see if there was good example of muggle innovation without magic. He saw it – a TV. “Here’s one the muggles did without magic,” Al said pointing at the old TV. “They use this to watch people and get news.”

“But they could use the Floo network for that,” Arthur interjected.

“Not for a bunch of people watching the same thing. It’s like the WWN with pictures,” Al explained, hoping this analogy would resonate.

“You sure know a lot about muggles,” Granddad commented with a sideways glance at Al. “Did you learn that from school or… have you been dating a muggle?”

This question caught Albus by surprise as it was usually Nana who probed into the dating lives of her grandchildren. “Oh, Brandon is muggle-born,” Al told his granddad, wondering if he’d remember the boyfriend that only visited a handful of times.

“Brandon… I like him. Good bloke. Though,” Arthur paused, trying to recall the scarce details he knew about Al’s private life. “You’re not still dating him, are you?”

“Not really. But we’re still friends,” Albus said with a smile at the last time he saw Brandon and their friendly activity together.

“That’s a dangerous title,” his granddad said darkly. Albus, who was surprised by the sudden serious tone looked at Arthur who was cleaning his glasses. “You wouldn’t be the first man in our family to…” he faltered a moment before continuing, “to lose someone to just being friends. You never know what or who might come between you.”

Albus took a sip of his juice to avoid answering right away. He was curious about who had suffered heartache in the family as everyone was married, except Uncle Charlie but he was just so busy with work. Furrowing his brow he asked, “How do you know when it’s the right person? How’d you know with Nana?”

When the same look of total infatuation flashed on his granddad’s face, Albus worried that he asked something he didn’t really want the answer to.  “I once had to picture my life without her – had a run-in with a dementor during Defense against the Dark Arts – and realized right away that I couldn’t live without her,” Arthur told his grandson. “I would have figured it out eventually but I was acting the fool and, well, she wouldn’t like me to tell you, but she had quite a few blokes after her.”

“Too bad there aren’t any dementors handy for me to check,” Al laughed.

\---

With his head buried in notes from his latest meeting with the other department heads, Harry walked back into his home away from home – headquarters for the aurors. He was proud of how the department transformed from a corrupt and inept organization into a rather effective and well-run unit of crime-fighting wizards. Harry worried that parts of the Ministry were slipping into corruption that harkened back to the days of Cornelius Fudge and a highly nepotistic way of operating.

It was these thoughts that caused Harry not to see Brandon Savage before they walked into each other. “I’m so sorry, sir,” Savage said, trying to help Harry pick up the loose parchment. “Here,” he waved his wand causing the paper to fly into his hands. Handing the stack back to Harry, he said again, “I should have looked where I was going. My mind was on my cases, I guess.”

Harry took the stack of paperwork and gave Brandon a calculating look. “Are your cases giving you trouble?” It was unusual for Savage to get _distracted_ by his work – passionate and dedicated, yes, but never to the point of pulling his mind from being present.

“It’s just this Broomfield case, I’m following up on it,” Brandon explained. “I came across it and think it might need follow-up.”

The name sounded familiar – it was a witch who was killed by a muggle. Harry didn’t realize the case was still being worked. “You’ll let me know if you need backup on it,” Harry said, not wanting his aurors to go into unsafe situations alone.

“Of course. I’m just following up on a few loose ends. It shouldn’t be dangerous,” Savage told him. “Mostly I’m going to talk with the muggles who saw it happen to see if there’s more to it.”

Glancing at Savage’s outfit, a rather formal muggle suit and tie, Harry understood. “You’re dressed for it.” One change Harry made to the auror department was issuing attire for interacting with muggles to avoid the general confusion they faced when a wizard attempted to don their best imitation of muggle clothing. Overall, the system worked out well excepting those wizards who refused to wear pants.

They were about to part ways when Ron hurried by, bumping into Harry without a word of acknowledgement. Harry’s eyes followed his life-long friend around the corner and saw him enter the lift.

“He’s been in such a state,” Harry commented, more to himself than Savage.

“Trouble with Rose?” Brandon asked, making a shrewd guess rather than commenting on firsthand knowledge.

Harry’s attention snapped to Brandon, his eyebrows forming a sharp line across his face. “How did you know about that? Have you seen Rose?”

Savage could see by Harry’s reaction that his guess was not only correct but it was an unwelcome insight into their family. “No, sir, not recently. We ran into each other not too long ago – she sounded unhappy.”

“Come with me to my office,” Harry said, wanting a chance to speak with Savage in private, rather than in the hallways where anyone could overhear.  Once they were in Harry’s office with the door shut, their conversation resumed. “Did she tell you about plans to run off?”

Harry could see the conflict on Brandon’s face as he was looking for the line between being someone’s confidant and a Ministry employee. Finally, Savage said, “No, she didn’t tell me about her plans.”

It was challenging for Brandon to stare down the green-eyed hero of the wizarding world and hold his own when being asked to divulge personal information. Brandon’s mind was whirling when Harry asked, “Can you tell me the contents of your conversation?”

Instead of answering right away, Savage looked around the small office and took note of the familiar but often ignored photos of Harry’s family. There were as many photos of his niece as his own daughter. This, more than any departmental pressure, caused Brandon to comply with the request. “We talked about her job and pressure she felt about it. I suggested she talk to her mum,” Savage supplied, feeling that a broad overview wouldn’t violate Rose’s trust with him.

Crossing his arms, as if this new information required a physical embrace, Harry leaned back in his chair. “I didn’t know you and Rose were friends.”

The statement from his department head shined light on part of Harry’s motivation for pushing Brandon for information – he was concerned for his son’s heart as much as his niece’s whereabouts. “We see each other sometimes,” Savage conceded, hoping that Harry would soon have his fill of new information.

Harry appeared to be done asking for information, at least for now. “Thanks, Savage. That’s all I need for now,” Harry said with what he hoped was a polite smile. Before Brandon completely exited the office he called out, “Oh, Savage, be sure to let me know how to Broomfield case goes.”

With a backwards glance at Harry, Brandon nodded, “I’ll report back on it tomorrow.”

Brandon stopped in the hallway to straighten his tie and check that he looked appropriately muggle for the visit. From what he knew of the case and the victim’s family, a wizard’s presence would not be welcome. Hoping that the rest of his day would go smoother than it started, Brandon left auror headquarters with his mind easing back into the details of his case.


	5. Live and Let Die

“Rose, are you in here?” Lily whispered as she pushed open her bedroom door. “I brought up some food.” Pushing open the door, Lily saw Rose lounging on her bed, thumbing through a book.

“Oh thank Merlin, I’m starved,” Rose said, sitting up with a ravenous look on her face.

“Did you say up here _all_ day?” Lily asked, fighting back a smirk.

“Except when Aunt Ginny left for a bit this afternoon. Which was good because I had to use the loo,” Rose laughed, then added, “I think she would have come to investigate the flush.”

Lily settled on the beanbag chair and watched her cousin eat for a few minutes. Rose had been a secret guest in the Potter household for a few days – ever since a disillusioned Rose knocked on Lily’s bedroom door while she was getting ready for work and asked if she could kip there. They spend the first evening Rose was there gossiping about Rose’s encounter with Scorpius. Lily could tell the information had hurt her cousin but it explained why Albus had been subjected to such heartbreak.

“How long will you hide out from the rest of the family?” Lily asked, breaking the silence between them. “I’m not sure how much longer Mum will buy that I skipped lunch and am hungry enough for two,” she teased.

“I don’t know,” Rose signed. “Just tell Aunt Ginny you’re pregnant and she’ll ply food on you.”

Lily looked a mixture of appalled and amused at the idea. “Dad would start hexing blokes on the spot,” she joked. “But, really, that _wouldn’t_ be a funny joke.”

Rose sat up and leaned towards her cousin, a knowing look in her eyes. “Who are you shagging?”

The blush on Lily’s cheeks were enough to indicate that there was a man in her life. “It’s no one. Well, not _no one,_ ” she rambled. “Just someone I met at work.”

“A coworker?” Rose spat, her eyes widening slightly.

“Of course not,” Lily reassured her. “He’s someone I met doing research for a story.” With a wave of her wand, Lily caused a clipping from the _Daily Prophet_ to sail through the air which Rose snatched before reached its destination.

“Endangered Magical Vegetation?” she asked with her brows raised. After glancing over the article, Rose looked up to see Lily’s blush creeping out of her cheeks. “What’s the vegetable’s name?”

Ignoring the jab from Rose, Lily smiled broadly as she said, “Archie Boot.”

This caused Rose to laugh, then stifle her face in a pillow as not to be heard. “Archie?” she asked once her laughter subsided. “Please tell me he’s at least hot.”

“He could be on the cover of Witch Weekly – if it featured hot wizards,” Lily giggled. “And his first name is really Archibald but goes by Archie instead.”

Rose crinkled her nose, then said in an imitation of a husky voice, “ _Oooh, Archie_.” She was almost in tears from laughing now. “Sorry, I just can’t picture that name being a good one for the sack.”

“And Scorpius was so much better,” Lily shot at her, forgetting that he was a sore subject at the moment. This stopped Rose’s laugher instantaneously. “Sorry, Rose, I just meant-“

“Touché,” Rose said in a good natured tone that didn’t match her feelings. “Tell me more about Mr. Boot.”

“He’s a vegetation specialist who and has gorgeous eyes. We’ve been going out for a few weeks but I haven’t told Mum and Dad about him. I don’t want Dad to go mental and Mum will want to have him over for dinner,” Lily said with her face glowing.

Rose recognized the early symptoms of love – having gone through similar phases in past relationships. “Maybe you could stand subjecting him to lunch with your favorite cousin.”

“Yeah, but Dominique is staying with her grandparents in France,” Lily said with her tongue shooting out towards Rose.

“Hilarious,” Rose joked flatly. “Besides meeting a hot bloke, how is your life as a reporter?”

“It’s fabulous, darling,” Lily giggled then said in a more serious voice, “If you consider doing grunt work and research fabulous. I’ll get my own story soon but they start everyone off just doing fact-checking or editing.”

“But it leads to what you want to do, right?” Rose checked, hoping that Lily wasn’t headed towards a dull career like she would be at the Ministry.

“There’s promise of a very prestigious reporter position if I stick with it,” Lily told Rose with a smile. “I might try working on submissions in my free time to show that I have more talent than just being the research aid.”

It sounded like a promising start for someone just a year out of Hogwarts to Rose. She was slightly jealous that Lily would head right into her career of choice. Rose sighed, feeling slightly adrift in her own life and rolled onto her back on the bed. Above her head there was a poster of the all wizard boy bad Enchant’d. “I think a muggle poster of them would be less creepy,” Rose decided, her mind wandering from the conversation. “Four blokes looking down on your bed at night – doesn’t that give you the willies?”

Lily looked up at the poster she begged for when she was 15. Despite her dad’s misgivings about his daughter being boy crazy, let her have the poster in her room. “Hardly. I just don’t look at them when I’m trying to-“

A knock at the door stopped both of them from talking. “Lily, are you in there?” Ginny asked from the other side of the door.

Panic struck both girls as Rose scrambled off the bed and tried to find a place to hide in the small bedroom. “In the closet,” Lily whispered, pointing. While she wasn’t on the run from _her_ parents, Lily knew she’d get an earful for concealing Rose while Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione were going spare looking for her.

Without waiting for her daughter’s reply, Ginny opened the door. “Are you with someone in here?” she asked, looking around the room.

“Just me. I was talking to myself about an article I’m working on,” Lily fibbed.

Ginny stepped into the room and noticed the two glasses and rucksack in the corner. “I think I put my red jumper in with your laundry,” she said, walking towards the closet door.

Lily was in an outright panic now. “I don’t think so, Mum. I don’t like red,” she said with a glance towards her red slippers on the floor. “I mean, I would have noticed.”

Opening the closet door, Ginny flicked her wand towards the lamp, causing a light to flood her daughter’s closet. She looked through the clothes and came within inches of Rose, who was crouched in the corner with a disillusionment charm cast on herself. “It must be in my pile. Thanks for letting me look, sweetheart,” she said, turning to leave. Before leaving the room, Ginny stopped to give her daughter a piercing stare. “If you see Rose, please have her contact Ron and Hermione.”

“I’ll tell her – if I see her.”

The door clicked shut and Lily sank onto her beanbag chair. “The coast is clear,” she said in a low voice.

Rose emerged from the closet with the charm still cast on her. “That was close,” she muttered, wiping sweat from her forehead.

“You really should try talking to them again,” Lily told her cousin, hoping that they wouldn’t have to keep playing hide and go seek when her parents dropped in.

\---

“James, did you move that cologne Lily gave me?” Albus called from their bathroom, rummaging through the cabinet under the sink. “Never mind, I found it.”

Albus was staring at his reflection in the mirror, scrutinizing his appearance. James knocked on the door, causing it to open slightly. “Did you say something?” he asked with a hesitant glance in the loo.

“Yes, but I found what I was looking for,” Al told him. “How do I look?” he asked as he turned to face his older brother.

James looked his brother up and down then smirked. “Well, I would think that your night would start with clothes _on_ then work towards partial nudity.”

Glancing down, Albus realized he was just wrapped in his bath towel. “You’re hilarious, real witty.”

“What have you been doing in here for the last half hour?” James asked as if he expected to find a dead body lurking about with that amount of time in the bathroom.

“Shower, shave, hair, cologne,” Albus listed off. “Next I’ll get dressed, to your point.”

Shutting the door, James called, “I’ll leave you to it,” giving Albus privacy to finish getting ready.

His dress robes were hanging inside the bathroom door as were trousers and a button-up shirt. This was the first fancy date Albus and he wanted it to go well. His stomach was churning excitedly as he thought about an evening with Brandon – a night of romance.

Emerging from the bathroom, fully dressed and ready for his night, Albus went to the sitting room where James was thumbing through the latest copy of _Quidditch Weekly_. “You look quite dapper,” his brother said after a quick glance over the top of his magazine. “Where is it you’re going?”

“A place called _La Petite Douceur_ , which is supposed to be pretty swank,” Albus told James, checking his watch. He still had over half an hour until he was supposed to meet Brandon at the restaurant. Albus took a seat on their couch, drumming his fingers against the cloth.

James made room for his younger brother and set the magazine face down to save his place. “Are you and Brandon getting serious again?” James asked in an attempt at casual conversation.

As if his nerves weren’t already through the roof – a conversation about where his relationship with Brandon was headed only set Al further on edge. Albus wanted it to go well despite the tug he still felt in his stomach towards Scorpius, but if he could move on, so could Al. “I’m not really sure what constitutes serious,” Al responded finally.

“A posh dinner sounds serious,” James commented. When Al didn’t respond, James went on, “You know, Derrick has been asking about you.”

“Oh,” Albus let out as he exhaled. He hadn’t given the quidditch player much thought in the past weeks.

Laughing, James reassured Albus, “I told him you’ve been busy but didn’t say with what.”

Al gave a lopsided grin before asking, “How is quidditch going?” knowing that the answer would easily fill the remaining time before he had to leave.

Predictably, Al had to cut James off from his quidditch monologue to leave on time to the restaurant. It was luck and skilled apparition that brought Albus to _La Petite Douceur_ with five minutes to spare. Thinking that Brandon was likely to have arrived by now, Albus walked up to the maître d’ who was looking over a list of reservations at his stand.

Being Al’s first time at such a nice restaurant, he wasn’t sure if he should interrupt the host or wait for him to look up. Contemplating his action, Al looked around what he could see of the restaurant for signs of Brandon. The dining area was lit with floating candelabras that reminded him greatly of Hogwarts. There were tiny clusters of light floating throughout the restaurant to illuminate the area with a romantic glow. The windows, which showed a view of the canals in Vienna, had beautiful curtains that were mostly pulled back to provide a nice view that the magical windows they covered.

A small cough brought Albus’ attention to the maître d’ who seemed to notice his lurking presence. “May I help you, sir?” he asked politely.

“Oh, yes, I’m here to meet Brandon Savage. I, um, think there’s a reservation,” Albus spluttered, feeling uncomfortable with the formality of the place and host.

“He has not arrived but I can show you to your table if you wish,” the tall man offered. After Albus’ nod of assent, he was walked back to a cozy table with a tiny sign on it that said _reserved_. Seating himself in the sturdy but ornate chair, Albus looked up at the maître d’, unsure if he was expected to say anything else. “I can show you a menu if you’d like,” the host offered, seeing that Albus was unsure of etiquette in this situation.

“No thank you. I’ll wait for Brandon,” Al choked out, wishing he could stop his heart from racing. Glad of the time to collect himself and stomp out the uprising of nerves, Albus tried to look more composed than he felt. He traced his thumb along the intricate napkin holder and waited. Brandon would surely arrive soon.

First ten, then fifteen minutes passed and Al was still alone at the table. He looked at his watch every few minutes to ensure that he wasn’t imagining the passage of time. Each five minute increment of waiting caused another knot to form in Albus’ stomach.

Worry set in as time ticked on. He could have run late – maybe work was keeping him. Brandon tended to be punctual which wasn’t helping Al squelch the new anxiety that budded in his chest.  When the waiter came by for the fourth time, with a basket of bread and a menu, Albus finally accepted these as food and something to look at would help Brandon’s absence from their date pass quicker.

Looking down the menu, Albus saw that the food was almost three times as much he would have considered paying at any other restaurant. The thought of an expensive dinner had sounded romantic, but with his date being now nearly 45 minutes tardy, it was becoming at best a farce. Albus politely refused the waiter’s continued offer to put in for an appetizer as he doubted that he had the gold to cover even their cheapest snack.

After an hour, Albus was tired of waiting. “Excuse me,” he called to the passing server. “I’m going to leave. What do I owe for…” Al’s voice trailed off as he glanced at the empty bread basket and glass of water.

“It’s our compliments, Mr. Potter,” The waiter said with a smile. “I’ll let Mr. Savage know you were here if he arrives.”

“Please do,” Al managed, pushing his chair back to leave.

He couldn’t face going straight home and face telling James that he was stood up. Not quite feeling satiated by the bread and water, Albus headed to Dragon Tail for a quick bite and a drink.

The bar was full of other young witches and wizards out to enjoy their evening. Albus was more than overdressed for the pub, which caused him to stand out in his best dress robes and elegant attire. He was beyond caring what onlookers thought when Albus sidled up to the bar and ordered steak pie and a pint of ale.

The first sip of ale soothed Al’s frazzled nerves after such a buildup of emotion only to be plummeted down through worry and landing on embarrassment. Finishing his first drink within minutes, Al called out, “Could I get another?” to the nearby barkeep. When the next mug was set in front of the still worked up wizard, he said a quick, “Thanks.”

“You look like someone stole your Pygmy Puff,” the bartender commented, setting down the steak pie and utensils.

“No, just my date,” Al told him with a moody stab to his food. “I showed up but he didn’t.”

Seeing that the second mug of ale was nearly empty, the bartender smiled and set another full mug on the counter. “On the house –always willing to help the brokenhearted.”

Somewhere during the third mug of ale, Albus’ worry and anxiety turned to anger. It had been Brandon who asked him out and then never bothered to show up. While a tiny voice in Albus’ head said there was a good reason for Brandon to be a no show, most of his brain did not care.

Four and five drinks later, Albus was quite certain that the entire date had been a joke, some cruelty dispensed by Brandon for unknown reasons. Albus knew exactly how to put the joke back on Brandon. Paying for his drinks and meal, Albus left the pub with a malicious, though slightly inebriated grin on his face.

\---

It wasn’t the first time in the last week that Scorpius’ evening had been interrupted by a pounding on the door. Curious as to who would be calling at this hour and with such urgency, Scorpius grabbed his wand and moved to the door.

Before he could ask who it was, Albus’ slightly slurred voice came, “Scorpius, are you home?”

Merlin – that’s not who Scorpius expected. Opening the door, Scorpius let Albus in. Rather he got out of the way as Albus stumbled over the threshold. “Albus, are you…” he was about to ask if he okay but a more pertinent question came to mind. “Are you drunk?”

Albus laughed and shook his head but all signs were to the contrary. “I was just out having dinner and thought about visiting you,” Albus told the blond wizard. “I miss you.”

“I… I have a boyfriend,” Scorpius said, remembering the intimate moment with Corbin.

“Yes, but he’s in Spain,” Albus said with a gesture out the window.

“France, actually,” Scorpius corrected him quietly.

Stepping close to Scorpius, Al said in a not so quiet whisper, “He’s not here.” In a slightly quieter voice he added, “I’m here with you.”

“I’m not going to just snog you anytime you pop by and happen to be randy,” Scorpius insisted, feeling his eyes flutter as Albus’ hands unbuttoned his top. “I’m not going to cheat on Corbin,” he said with a firm step back from Albus.

Nodding with a heavy head, Albus said, “Okay, you’re right of course. I’m just so… so confused. I want you and I want…” Albus stopped, not able to be quite that honest with Scorpius.

“I’ve wanted to be a couple again too,” Scorpius confessed quietly, incorrectly guessing Al’s next words. Part of his resolve breaking, Scorpius offered, “Why don’t you stay here for a bit while you sober up. I’ll make you tea.”

A few hours and a lot of tea later, they had been mostly talking during that time period but Al’s unusual candor caused them to connect in a way that they hadn’t since their falling out at Hogwarts. Scorpius was without a shirt and Albus had taken off his robes. Slow kisses were clouding both of their judgment even though they were at a point where neither could say it was alcohol guiding their actions.

Albus wanted to keep kissing Scorpius but he couldn’t forget the other’s request about not just being a hookup. “I should probably head home,” Albus said, looking away from Scorpius’ eager expression.

“I know what I said earlier, but I’d like it if you could say,” Scorpius said in a low voice. Al’s eyes snapped to Scorpius’ at these words. “Promise me it won’t just be tonight,” he murmured, kissing Albus’ hand.

Shaking his head, Al responded, “Definitely not just tonight.”

The two young men reached familiar ground between them once they ambled into Scorpius’ bedroom. In some ways it felt like they hadn’t experienced a lapse in their physical closeness but yet were very different people since their last time. Scorpius noticed that Albus had gained muscle, perhaps from stocking his uncle’s store and electing to carry heavy crates in lieu of using magic for simple tasks. Albus, on the other hand, saw that what boyhood fat Scorpius had was gone and had been replaced by a rather lean frame.

Albus slowly kissed the curve of Scorpius’ neck as his hands run the length of his back. The gasps that left Scorpius’ mouth tell Al he’s still able to push the right buttons with his former love. Not able to stand merely being a recipient of pleasure, Scorpius caught Albus’ mouth with his and eagerly returned the lustful pressure.

When their lips parted, Albus snuck another quick kiss before saying, “I’ve wanted this for so long. Are you sure this is what you want?”

Without hesitation Scorpius managed a low “yes.” He emphasized this by trailing kisses down Al’s lean torso and letting his hand gently venture between the legs he knew so well. Biting his lip, Albus managed to rake his fingers through Scorpius’ hair in a sign of pleasure at the other man’s sensuality.  

It was clear to Albus that he had been settling for drunk imitations of real passion and that Scorpius was one of two people who had ever been able to give him this kind of pleasure. That night he pushed all thoughts of Brandon out of his mind and let Scorpius fully take over.

The next morning felt like waking up in home after having been gone on an unnecessarily long holiday. “Do you have to work today?” Albus asked Scorpius after kissing his bare shoulder.

“No, I’m only open a few Saturdays a month,” Scorpius told him with a grin. “Do you have to work?” Albus shook his head. “We could stay in if you’d like.”

“That sounds great,” Albus smiled. He knew James hadn’t expecting home the previous night and wouldn’t be worried if he was gone Saturday too. “I’m free all day – I just have to make it to my parent’s for brunch tomorrow.”

Standing up, Scorpius felt more at ease with another person than he had in recent memory. “That can be arranged.”

“I can make us breakfast,” Albus piped up after a few moments of silence. Seeing uncertainty on Scorpius’ face he added, “I’ve learned a few things living on my own too.”

Much to Scorpius’ surprise, Albus was able to make a rather good omelet, adequate toast, and a perfect cup of tea. At least he wasn’t completely hopeless around the flat. Neither felt up to much after that so the spent the day unconcerned with the outside world.

Neither would admit it, but they each felt moments of guilt about the men who they weren’t with while they were together. Scorpius decided he would just have to tell Corbin that he was seeing someone else. Hopefully the news wouldn’t be too much of a blow for the man to hear. Albus was still bitter about Brandon abandoning their date but wished he’d been able to give their relationship another chance.

Before bed the next evening, Scorpius had to ask Albus the very question he had avoided while they were together at school. “Are we dating?”

The question didn’t quite take Albus by surprise as much as it caused guilt to constrict his throat. “I… I don’t know, Scorpius,” he said truthfully. “A weekend together doesn’t mean we’re dating.”

His response nettled Scorpius. “I told you, I don’t want to just bounce between you and Corbin and I thought you staying meant-“ he was at a slight loss of words.

“I was going to leave because I didn’t want to make a huge commitment just for a night – or weekend – with you,” Albus shot back, not wanting to admit culpability in Scorpius’ letdown. “Are you and Corbin exclusive?”

The question felt clunky and foreign to Scorpius who had only thought of dating one person at a time. Perhaps Albus had more dating experience outside of school than he did. “I don’t… we haven’t discussed it,” Scorpius confessed, though he was sure that Corbin thought of them as an item.

“I just need time to figure out where I’m headed,” Albus told him, feeling a moment of discomfort at the idea not at least figuring out what happened with Brandon before cutting ties.

“You can have time,” Scorpius said coolly. He was uncomfortable having their relationship up in the air but couldn’t’ for Albus to make up his mind. In the meanwhile, Scorpius needed to decide what _he_ wanted.

\---

After an awkward goodbye the next morning, Albus went by his flat to change. Feeling grateful that James had already left, he found something other than his formalwear to don for the day. Before leaving his flat, Albus looked to see if there was a message from Brandon on their kitchen counter where post usually ended up. There wasn’t anything other than a notice from the Ministry about recent legislative changes.

“Figures,” Al muttered to himself about the silence from Brandon. “He could at least apologize,” he complained to the empty room as he grabbed a handful of Floo powder.

A few moments of spinning and green flame later, Albus was in the sitting room of his parent’s home. Lily walked past with a tray of food and said, “Dad’s been looking for you.”

Watching her go by with way more food than he and James would even try to eat, Albus headed towards the dining room where his parents likely were. Upon seeing his youngest son, Harry stood up. The stoic look on his face did not bode well for Albus.

“Albus, I need to speak with you,” Harry said with a heavy tone in his voice. It was a tone Albus rarely heard at home – it recalled scenes of serious discussions of Dark activity, work, and in the most serious times, death. “I need to talk to you about Brandon.”

A weight heavier than lead dropped in Albus’ stomach as he took a seat and waited for the worst.

 


	6. A View to a Kill

Paris had been quite the adventure, perhaps _too_ much so, for Corbin. He was pleased with his trip, having been able to secure an agreement with a large book distributer. The only regret Corbin had about his business trip was that he made it alone. A week and a half felt too long to part company with the man he was currently dating. Scorpius wrote to Corbin regularly during the time they spent apart but words on a page were hardly satiating for two wizards in a new relationship.

Corbin opened his trunk that had been used in Paris and started to unpack his belongings. He had just a short while until Scorpius would be over for a drink before dinner. Looking for the gift he bought in Paris to give to the younger wizard, Corbin began to rummage hastily through his belongings. Corbin found the souvenir already unpacked – how forgetful of him.

Taking the time to tidy his flat, Corbin reflected that his worldly possessions did not show great material success as an adult. He lived in a meager flat with a hodgepodge of furniture and wizards robes. Many of his possessions were used or, if bought new, showed signs of use over the years. Most of the time, Corbin was living on his wits alone as he lacked the wealth to live in luxury and the connections needed for a lofty job.

A tap at the door pulled Corbin out of his thoughts and into a whirl of excitement over Scorpius visiting. Opening the door, he let the blond wizard in and pulled him into a hug. “Scorpius,” he said, relishing the name as it left his mouth. “I’ve missed you.”

Scorpius’ mouth was on his with a needy urge that made Corbin’s heart race. It was clear that the missing was not one-sided. Remembering quite vividly how youthful exuberance and longing combine, Corbin was not surprised when Scorpius began to let his hands snake to increasingly intimate places.

Pulling away from their slow kiss, Scorpius placed a peck on Corbin’s forehead. “I missed you too,” he breathed. Ignoring the part of his brain that was still dwelling on his flurry of passion with Albus not a few days past, Scorpius ran his hand Corbin’s short, wavy hair. “What are the plans for tonight?” Scorpius asked as his need for another snog increased.

A coy smile appeared on Corbin’s face as he responded, “Drinks, dinner, and _then_ dessert.”

Catching onto Corbin’s meaning, Scorpius asked, “What about having dessert now?”

Never one to turn down a handsome, eager man, Corbin nodded saying, “I think that can be accommodated.”

The desire Scorpius felt for Corbin was as real as anything he had with Albus the previous weekend. The difference was that his passion with Corbin came without bargaining over what their relationship was or would be afterwards. Wanting to transition from gentle kissing to something more elicit and exciting, Scorpius tugged at the leather belt to Corbin’s trousers. The hardness Scorpius felt and sigh of pleasure as he wrapped his fingers around familiar firmness.

“We could take this to your bedroom,” Scorpius murmured, wanting to thoroughly enjoy Corbin’s return. Needing no further prompting, Corbin led his lover back to the small bedroom.  

It was well past supper time when Corbin and Scorpius were ready to venture out for food. Neither minded eating late after enjoying time spent quite occupied catching up after time apart.

They went out to eat at a muggle Thai diner just down the way from Corbin’s flat. Once they were seated, Corbin took in the flushed glow on Scorpius’ cheeks and felt quite proud that he effected the other man so. Their waitress eyed them as she walked up, it was unclear if she was more caught off-guard by two men holding hands or their utterly bizarre attire.

“Are you ready to order?” she asked, giving them a polite – if not perfunctory – smile.

“Yes,” Corbin declared as he set the menu down. “I’ll have your Pad Thai with earl grey tea.”

Scorpius looked up, slightly alarmed at making a choice when there were so many items on the menu. “How about Panang Curry?” he ordered tentatively. “Oh, and a tea.”

After jotting down their orders, the waitress went to another table where a large group was waiting for their check. Waiting for her to be out of earshot, Corbin said, “I suppose we should have worn more muggle-appropriate attire.”

“Where would the fun be in that?” Scorpius asked with a coquettish smile.

“I imagine most of the fun is just in being out with you,” Corbin supplied, blushing at the earnest statement. He struggled at times to be vulnerable with people, especially when his heart was exposed to potential hurt. Some of his past relationships commented on his inability to connect without holding back but with Scorpius he wanted to put everything into their budding romance.

Scorpius stared down at this empty plate for a moment as he let Corbin’s words of devotion wash over him. He knew what he wanted to ask but he didn’t know if this was the right time, but when is the right time to discuss one’s relationship? “I was wondering…” he started, glancing up nervously. “D’you consider us exclusive?” Scorpius got out in one go. Every part of his face went red at the question as if it were heated by several suns.

It took all of Corbin’s control to not lash out against the question. Of course he considered them to be an exclusive couple – he thought that much was made clear before leaving for Paris. “I’m not sure why you’d ask that,” Corbin responded in a calm voice that hid the stampede of doubts surging through him.

“I was talking to a friend the other day and realized we never specified if-“

“Was this friend Albus?” Corbin cut through Scorpius’ explanation like a knife through butter.

Nodding, Scorpius continued, “He was just asking – there wasn’t anything behind the question.” The lie rolled off his tongue like rain from spring shower.

“Only uncivilized people go about dating multiple people at once,” Corbin shot off dismissively. “It’s base and much beneath someone of status.”

Laughing, Scorpius said, “I’m not of status. My family has money but I’ve been cut out of that.”

“You’re cut out of it right now,” Corbin corrected him. “You’ll reconcile with them sooner or later. It’s not like they have another heir.”

The waitress returned with their food, causing a lull in the conversation while they dished out the food and dug in. Scorpius was fascinated by the chopsticks and Corbin’s dexterity with them. If they weren’t a muggle restaurant, he’d try charming them into working on their own. But, as there were at least 10 muggles close by, he used a fork.

After several minutes of eating, Corbin asked quietly, “Are you seeing other people?”

Scorpius could tell that the mere idea of seeing other people cut Corbin deeply. “Of course not,” he lied, not knowing if a weekend with Albus counted as dating or not. Either way, he wanted to avoid retelling the situation to Corbin at risk of causing irreversible damage. “It was just a silly question.”

“I guess we all have a few of those sometimes,” Corbin smiled contentedly at Scorpius as they continued their meal.

It was uncomfortable for Scorpius to hide the truth from Corbin. He would have to decide soon if he wanted to fall back into Albus’ arms or explore what he was feeling for Corbin. The weekend with Albus felt comfortable but exciting whereas his time with Corbin was thrilling in a way Scorpius struggled to explain.

\---

It was a relief to no longer be sneaking around with a disillusionment charm on as Rose strode up the path to her parent’s house. She knew her plan to hide out in Lily’s bedroom was at best a short-lived escape. Worry about her parents, especially her mother’s, reaction welled up in Rose as she pushed open the door. Hugo was the first to spot Rose as she entered their home and called out “The runaway is back!”

“Stuff it, dipwad,” Rose hissed at her brother.

A loud cry of, “Rose,” caused her shoulders to hunch before facing her parents. Hermione pulled Rose into a tight hug that lasted for several moments. Their embrace was interrupted as Ron, a head taller than either of them, wrapped his arms around them both and placed his chin on Rose’s head.

“I’m so glad you’re home, Rosie,” he said, the smile evident clear in his voice. “I’ve never been so worried in my life,” he told her.

Hugo’s voice hit them as he left the happy reunion saying, “I guess I’ll take my stuff out of her room.”

Rose managed to spin around and stare at her brother’s retreating back. “He didn’t take-“

“Of course not, dear,” Hermione consoled Rose. “He’s just trying to bait you. Hugo missed you a great deal.”

“Sure he did,” Rose laughed.

Ron and Hermione let go of Rose and beamed at her, the joy of having her return home evident on their faces. Rose felt guilt and shame creep throughout her as she thought of the stress they must have gone through at her departure. She didn’t realize when she stormed out that they’d go through such an emotional time without her.

While the three of them were quite content to just be under one roof, Rose knew she had to make amends for her behavior and apologize for the heartache she caused her devoted parents. “Mum, Dad, I… I want to try talking to you again about my career,” she said bravely.

Hermione’s face was unusually tender as she said, “We can talk about that later, Rosie.”

“No, Mum. I’m ready to talk about this as an adult and I need to…” she paused, as the strange, mature words flowed from her mouth. “I need to apologize for what I put you both through.”

Tears, perhaps happy tears, welled in Hermione’s eyes as she nodded. “Let’s have a seat then.”

Ron and Hermione sat side by side, with their hands interlocked, and looked at their daughter with a sense of pride that comes with seeing their child reach a certain maturity.

“I’ve given this some thought over the last few days and I’ve come up with the following compromise,” Rose started in a confident voice. “I need six months to test out my business idea. I’ll spend a few weeks figuring out where people are travelling. I’ll need to do some research at the Ministry’s Hall of Records but I think Spain and Germany will come up as popular. Once I have destinations, I can put ads in the Daily Prophet. Hopefully this will get some customers.”

“So far this sounds like a good plan,” Ron told her encouragingly. Rose smiled at the vote of confidence. Her dad tended to have a good feel for strategy and people, though this talent was typically used against Dark wizards.

Feeling encouraged, Rose went on, “I’ll lead tours twice a month, lasting one week each. After a few months I should have a good idea if it’s a viable business. If it’s doesn’t work out, I’ll go back to the Ministry and work hard at whatever job I can get,” Rose finished with an apprehensive look towards her mother.

Hermione didn’t say anything for a few moments. Rose knew she was collecting and ordering thoughts, a common occurrence after receiving a significant amount of information. “You seem to have a good plan,” Hermione conceded. “We can support you while you test this out,” she said with a glance at Ron.

“Thank you, Mum!” Rose squealed. “And Dad!” she added beaming at both of them. “I promise that I won’t let you down and that-“

“Rosie,” Hermione interrupted gently, “What kind of gold do you need to start this little business venture?”

Some of the wind went out of Rose’s sails as she contemplated this question. Money hadn’t quite entered into her equations on this business idea. “I need to do a bit more research on that,” Rose said winningly. “Most likely just the cost of marketing and any liability I’d need to carry. I could apply for a loan at Gringotts once I have more-“

“There’s no need for that,” Ron said firmly. “We’ll lend you 300 galleons to start and you can pay us back later.”

Hermione pursed her lips but didn’t argue with Ron on this point. “But, do show the research when you get a chance,” she asserted, with a sneaking suspicion that Rose hadn’t considered what this would cost to do before now.

After agreeing to everything her mum said, Rose ran up to her room to put down her rucksack then take a long shower. She hadn’t felt properly clean since showering at Scorpius’ flat – and that had been using his products which left her smelling rather masculine. Rose let the hot water steam up the bathroom before stepping under the flow of water. The heat seemed to burn away some of the tension she’d been carrying around. It was only after she shut the water off and the rush of cool air from outside the bathtub hit her, that Rose started to think about all that she still needed to accomplish in her life.

Being able to follow her dream job was one thing but she felt as if her love life was quite untended as of late. Apart from snogging a few cute guys at the pub in recent months, she hadn’t connected with anyone beyond ephemeral feelings encouraged by firewhiskey and friends. As she dried off, Rose decided that love, and similar problems, were to be solved for on another day.

\---

The world was upside-down for Albus as his legs hung over the back of the couch and his head dangled just inches above the ground. A listless mood infected him as he was trying to sort out his thoughts, which was becoming increasingly difficult as blood rushed to his head. Life as he knew it had been ripped apart by a mere sentence from his dad.

“Are you going to stay like that all day?” James asked, emerging from his room.

Albus attempted to shrug but found it difficult with his position on the couch. “I might,” he said sullenly.

Sitting next to his brother, though right-side-up, on the couch, James decided to try his best at consoling Albus. “There’s no way you could have known,” James told his brother who was now trying to levitate as many magazines as he could at the same time. “Will you cut that out and talk about this?”

With a flick of his wand, the various quiddich magazines fell back to their spots. “Fine, let’s talk,” Al agreed as he rolled onto the floor and then sat on the couch, facing James.

“How do you feel?” James asked, not really sure how to go about having this conversation.

Al rolled his eyes in a rather unforgiving act of irritation. “How do you think I feel?” he snapped.

“Hurt? Confused?” James ventured, really not sure what a person would feel in Albus’ situation.

“Add angry and lost to that list,” Albus said as he stunned a fly midair.

James cast a wary eye towards Albus, not sure if his brother wanted to feel better about the news he’d been given quite yet. He had acted rational enough when Harry sat him down and explained, but now he was trying to live with a new reality. “There’s one thing I don’t get,” James murmured, more to himself than Albus.

“What’s that?” Al asked testily.

“I just thought he was, you know, gay.” James turned red as he said these words and broke his eye contact with Al at the look he was getting.

“Out of everything that happened, _that’s_ your outstanding question?” Al spat, crossing his arms.

“Well, the rest of it kind of makes sense,” James smirked until he got a full-on blast of Albus’ icy glare.

“Don’t make light of it,” Albus fumed, pulling his knees up to his chin. “You don’t understand.”

James stood up so he could look at his brother properly. “Neither do you, Al,” he said crossly. “Dad only told you because he knew you two were getting close again. I don’t think _he_ even knows all the details.”

“A daughter,” Al choked. “I just can’t believe he has a daughter.” A few moments later he added, “I guess _he_ didn’t know about her either.”

Tears came to Albus, unbidden but bringing a type of release he needed. James rushed in to his brother’s side in the way only an older sibling can. “There, it’ll be okay, Al,” he cooed as if Albus were 5 years old again and had just smashed his toy broom apart. “You can still give it a go with Brandon once he sorts out the daughter situation.”

“It’s not just a problem that will go away,” Al said bitterly. “He’s saddled with a child just because some witch he banged snuffed it.”

“That’s not fair, Al,” James chided him. “If he’d known about the girl all along, he would have been involved from the start.”

It was Albus’ turn to get up and pace the room. “It’s just not fair,” Al began to rage. “Brandon and his stupid, fucking ‘ _I’m attracted to personalities first_ ’ line.”

A dawning look of understanding hit James, “So he _does_ like women.”

“Of course you toadstool,” Al grumbled, not wanting to waste time on insipid thoughts like that. “Do you think he mistook some witch for a bloke?”

“Merlin, Al, don’t jump down _my_ throat,” James hollered, wishing that anyone else were there with him other this his moody brother. “How about I make you some tea?” he offered as he headed to their kitchen.

Deciding to take his time with the tea, James let the water heat on the range instead of using magic. It was a quiet 10 or so minutes until James returned to their couch with tea, cream, and sugar levitating ahead of him. “Thanks,” Al said sulkily once the tea was on their coffee table.

“I know this is hard for you, Al,” James said, taking another brave attempt at conversation. “I just imagine this is much more difficult for Brandon at the moment. Dad said he was devastated between finding out that woman died and that he had a child.”

Taking in a deep breath, Albus nodded. “I want to be supportive but… it’s a little out of my league.”

“Hippogriff shit,” James countered harshly. “You’ve helped with more babies than most people our age and you care about Brandon. It would be awful of you to drop him once his life gets a bit difficult.”

Albus was surprised to see James defend Brandon with such vigor. “I’m not going to drop him,” Al said after a steadying sip of tea. “I just need to clear my head a bit.” By clear his head he meant work out if he thought Brandon would be better for him than Scorpius but Albus couldn’t face confiding the truth behind his weekend to James.

James seemed to guess the nature of what Al meant when he said he had been kipping at Scorpius’ though as he said, “At least you have your choice of people,” came James’ slightly bitter voice. “I’m a fairly decent chaser but can’t get a date with a good-looking witch. Or anyone really.”

It was Albus’ turn to console his brother – at least there was already tea made. “Have you really been looking that hard for a date?” Albus asked, hoping the question wouldn’t set James off.

“Of course I have!” James said clearly nettled.

“It’s just… you’re at home a lot, mainly hang out with other blokes, and don’t talk to girls when they’re around,” Al told him in the nicest way he could without sugar-coating the truth.

James had a slightly irked look on his face but he seemed to accept Al’s words as truth. “What do you suggest?”

“Next party we throw, I’ll ask Rose and Lily to bring their girlfriends,” Al decided. “I’ll invite a few of mine too.”

“That’s a start,” James agreed. “But, how do I talk to him?” He looked apprehensive at the thought.

“We’ll figure that out together,” Albus promised him.

Albus gave James a smile, which was returned with interest. Perhaps neither of them really knew the first thing about girls but they’d work out what to do. For Albus, James’ situation was easier to solve. It was his own heart which seemed like an impossible enigma to understand. He decided that he’d write to Brandon first thing in the morning that way he wouldn’t be a distraction as the finer details of parenting were being learned by the auror. Albus didn’t know if he fancied dating someone with a child, let alone a young one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've written a one-shot to talk about Brandon's experience through all of this. It's called Road to Joy.


	7. The Love You Save

Lily checked the clock by her desk and panicked – she only had a couple of minutes to collect Archie and meet Rose for lunch. It hadn’t been difficult to persuade Archie to meet her cousin, though the idea of being subjected to scrutiny by the entire Potter family was a bit daunting for the young wizard. Lily grinded her teeth as she waited for the lift. The Ministry did not allow apparition within its walls which made travel subject to the ancient, molasses-paced mechanical beasts.

Thankful that the Department of Magical Vegetation was on the way, Lily popped out of the lift just enough to see Archie waiting for her and held the door as he walked in past her. “Thought you left without me,” he teased as he took her hand in his.

“I couldn’t quite do that,” Lily purred before placing a quick kiss on Archie’s cheek. She could see that he had dressed a little nicer than usual and was clean shaven instead of showing a day or so worth of stubble. “You look nice,” she commented, giving his hand a squeeze.

“You’re quite stunning yourself,” Archie murmured, placing a kiss on Lily’s hand. While at the Ministry, they tried to be conservative with their affections towards one another but the lift, while a dreadfully slow way to travel, gave them opportunity express slightly more intimate feelings.

Once the doors opened to the bright atrium, Lily pulled Archie towards the café where they’d meet Rose. Seeing that her cousin was already at a table made Lily grin widely. Rose was a lot of things but early was hardly one of them. Lily pulled a chair out and sat down before greeting her cousin.

“Why hello,” Rose grinned, setting down her menu. “I’m Rose,” she said to Archie, extending her hand.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Archie,” he said with a dashing smile. Much to Lily’s relief, Rose did not laugh when Archie said his name, despite their giggles over it the previous weekend. “Lily has told me a lot about you.”

“Well, why wouldn’t I talk about my two favorite people?” Lily smiled, hoping that Rose wouldn’t share anything terribly embarrassing with her boyfriend. “What’s good on the menu?” she asked, opening hers and skimming down it.

“I think I’ll get a toastie,” Rose decided, closing the menu with a snap. Lily gave her a look from the top of the menu that told Rose she was slightly on edge about their lunch. As Rose wasn’t her brother, who would jump on the chance to embarrass people in front of their significant others, she decided to be more gracious than she felt like being.

A few minutes later, the waiter came by and collected their orders, leaving the three of them without anything to occupy their time but conversation. Rose was gearing up to fire off questions to Archie when Lily took the conversation down another path.

“Have you talked to Albus since the news about Brandon?” Lily asked, knowing Rose would want to discuss Brandon and his newly discovered daughter.

“I haven’t yet,” Rose said as she squeezed lemon into her water. “Dad was talking about it; he knows Brandon from work.”

“What news?” Archie asked, looking between the two women. Archie listed and Lily recounted how the man her brother had been dating discovered the existence of a daughter whose mother died. “Sounds like a mess,” he commented. “Not the type of situation your brother would want to get involved with.”

“I think Al’s pretty cut up over the whole situation,” Lily told them. “At least James told me as much.”

“It sounds like a chance for him to be shot of the mess though,” Archie offered.

Rose narrowed her eyes at Archie before asking but didn’t say anything for a few moments. Lily piped up with a nervous laugh and said, “It’s not as bad as it sounds right now.”

Archie leaned back in his chair and shrugged. “It just doesn’t sound like a normal relationship, that’s all. I don’t have anything against two blokes hooking up, but Brandon sounds like he’s unstable.”

Lily put her hand on Archie’s arm and gave it a gently squeeze. “He’s an auror so he has to be quite responsible for that job.”

“Oh, he is?” Archie said, the surprise ringing in his voice. “I don’t mean to sound prejudiced but I didn’t think there were many gay aurors. I mean, it’s kind of a macho job.”

The scowl that formed on Rose’s face alerted Lily to a fast approaching argument. “You just don’t know enough gay guys to know how wrong you are, sweetheart,” Lily said smoothly. 

Rose chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment before feeling calm enough to respond, “Yeah, _Archie_ , you should really consider broadening your horizons before-“

“Yay! The food is here!” Lily cried, staunching the flow of words that were threatening to erupt from Rose’s mouth.

Relieved that Archie at least didn’t eat like a pig – something she loathed almost as much as bigotry – Rose tucked into her food. Deciding to hold off on completely dismissing Archie as a good boyfriend for Lily, Rose moved onto asking Archie about himself while they ate. After they had all tucked into their lunch, Rose began on the questions.

“What is it you do with magical vegetation?” she asked in a tone that would suggest she hadn’t forgotten his ignorant words from earlier.

“I’m on a team that investigates magical agriculture. We’re responsible for checking that muggles can’t find the crops – especially the dangerous ones – and that people are growing that they’re licensed for,” he explained, holding a spoonful of soup between the bowl and his mouth. “It’s a lot of paperwork but I also get out in the field sometimes.”

Lily nudged Archie and whispered, “Tell her about the raid you went on.”

With a nod, Archie went on, “We raided on grow operation the other week that was doing some sort of illegal muggle crop when their paperwork said they were lovage and sneezewort producers. The owner, bloke by the name of Hawthorne, put up a bit of a fight.”

“I remember reading about that,” Rose commented, waiting for Archie to talk up his own participation in the event.

“It was only three of us there and Hawthorne got Willis when we first showed up. I ended up catching the loose bludger of a man with a stinging hex,” Archie bragged with a smile towards Lily.

Lily beamed at Archie, pride and affection evident in her expression. Rose couldn’t bear to be too cruel to someone her cousin was so fond of. They finished eating in almost no time which was perfectly okay with Rose. She could definitely tolerate Archie but wouldn’t be signing up to hang out with him for long periods. With a creeping sense of guilt, Rose hoped that Lily would get Archie out of her system and move on.

\---

There were simply too many boxes to unpack after the most recent shipment from their suppliers. Albus was surrounded by towers of boxes that needed to be sorted and cataloged before being put out on the floor. A crate at Albus’ feet labeled ‘Contents for Ages 0 to 6 Months’ caught his eyes. Deciding to start with that shipment first, Albus tapped the box with his wand, causing the lid to come off revealing the merchandise within.

Albus bent to examine the various items below. There was a baby rattle that played a different lullaby based on the time of day and a set of squishy blocks that were flavored like a fruit based its color. Albus stood up looking at a self-reading book when George came to check on his efforts.

“With all the kids we’re getting through the shop, I thought we should expand into toys for the younger ones and see how they do,” he said, causing Al to drop the book he was holding up.

“Should do well,” Al commented, putting the box back together and marking his packing sheet.

A look passed over Albus’ face that told George his nephew was thinking about more than increasing sales. “Have you visited Brandon recently?” he asked, knowing that Albus would catch that he really wanted to know if he’d seen the auror since learning about his daughter.

“No… I wrote to him though. I just don’t want to intrude,” Al said, feeling his face grow red.

George gave Albus a hard stare, wondering if his nephew could imagine what it’s like to withdraw from people in a moment of pain. “You should try being a little more direct with your interests, Al,” George told him, giving a rare bit of advice. “When… well, when Fred died I pulled back from everyone until Angelina sought me out and yanked me out of my grief.”

Al fidgeted with his quill for a few moments before responding, “But… Brandon didn’t lose anyone like Uncle Fred.” It always felt weird to talk about _Uncle_ Fred when Albus’ cousin was also Fred but it seemed to mean something to his parents and family who knew his late uncle to still refer to him properly.

“No, but he’s still gone through a life-changing shock,” George said in a rather more terse tone than usual. “Based on everything you’ve said about him, he seems like a strong fellow but even the best of us crumble.”

It felt strange for George to have such strong guidance as he was usually one to let people be as they wanted and think nothing of it. His insistence that Brandon would be going through a rough patch resonated with Albus as he worked at unpacking the rest of the boxes and getting them to the store shelves.

After the better part of the morning was spent finishing up with the inventory, Albus was glad to be at the store counter to help customers. He felt distinctly disheveled and was hoping for a chance to go home during lunch to change. In a rare act of clock-watching on the job, Albus was a mere five minutes from his break when the door opened.

Before Albus could belt out his perfunctory greeting, Scorpius’ voice reached his ears. “Hi Albus, I was hoping we could have a word?” he asked politely.

“Definitely,” Albus said with a smile. “I’m leaving for lunch in a few minutes if it’s okay to wait.”

“I don’t mind waiting,” Scorpius smiled, causing Al’s stomach to flip uncomfortably.

When the clock struck one, Albus shouted up to George’s office, “I’m headed to lunch.” Not sure if he should hold Scorpius’ hand or not, Albus swung his arms idly and said, “I was going to head to my flat and change. Is that okay with you?”

Scorpius nodded with a feeling of apprehension about being in such private quarters with Albus. “Mind doing side-along? I’ve never been to your flat.” Scorpius reached out for Albus’ swinging arm and took hold of his hand. With a turn and pop, they were off to Al’s bedroom in the small flat he shared with James.

“I was doing inventory this morning and got a bit manky,” Al explained as he pulled his robes over his head.

“That’s understandable,” Scorpius said shortly. “I often kip upstairs and change after some pungent potions.” Scorpius turned so that he was not quite facing Albus as he was divesting himself of every stitch of clothing.

Al put his hand on Scorpius’ shoulder, still not dressed, and asked, “What is it you wanted to talk about?” Albus knew he was being forward by not getting back to being dressed right away but he wasn’t one to turn down some fun at lunch if he could help it.

Scorpius’ cheeks turned pink as he glanced and saw that Albus still remained naked. “I… I can wait until you’re dressed,” he said with a shake to his voice. It was difficult for him to bring up the topic he felt must be discussed, let alone while Albus was completely starkers.

“Right-o,” Albus laughed, summoning clean clothes from his wardrobe. Pulling his pants on, Albus looked at Scorpius with mounting curiosity. It wasn’t like Scorpius to rebuff him when they were alone. Once he was fully dressed, Al went back to where Scorpius was staring at the floor. “All dressed now.”

With a glance at Albus’ feet to check if he was really dressed, Scorpius felt it was safe to try talking with Albus about their relationship. “I feel horrible about last weekend,” he said without preamble. “I can’t keep seeing you while I’m dating Corbin.”

This was not unexpected for Albus, not with Scorpius being too shy to cast him a glance while he had been changing. “Are you two dating exclusively?” he asked, hoping he sounded supportive rather than aggressive and forlorn.

“Yes,” Scorpius nodded. “I’d like to give us another chance, Albus, but I need more than a maybe from you before I ditch Corbin.”

Albus held in a frown and waited a few moments before he replied. “I just need to be independent for a bit, that’s all,” he said softly, stepping closer to Scorpius.

Scorpius could feel his legs lock in place as Albus moved closer to him. This wasn’t how people usually said they’d give each other space. It was those green eyes that kept him locked into place when his brain was reminded him to step away. Albus’ lips moved gently against his own for the shortest of moments before pulling away.

“I’m glad we got that sorted out,” Scorpius breathed, finally taking a step back. “I need to get back to the shop,” he said with a casual air that did not match his confused feelings.

Albus watched as Scorpius left and sank down onto his bed. Life was pushing him towards making a decision that he heart and mind weren’t ready to agree upon yet. He knew that stringing Scorpius and Brandon was at best unfair and could lead to being detrimental but cutting one of them out of his love life felt too permanent for Albus to contemplate just then.

\---

Brandon sat in the newly acquired rocking chair and surveyed the sitting room of his flat. The change in décor from bachelor pad to a glorified nursery just marked the visible change in his life over the past week. Brandon never expected to have kids, let alone be the sole provider for one. He looked down at the dark tuft of hair peeking through the baby’s blanket and smiled. Despite not having planned for her, Bran was inexplicably glad for the tiny child in his arms.

There was a quiet tap at the door, causing Cora to stir in Brandon’s arms. Frowning slightly at who could be popping by unannounced, Brandon carefully got up and went towards the door and looked through the eyehole. Rose Weasley was standing outside the door with a box tucked under her arm.

Tapping his wand against the locks, Brandon stepped back as Rose came through the opening door. Her face lit up at the tiny bundle in Brandon’s arms. “I just had to come by and see her,” she whispered excitedly. “Oh, Mum sent me with some books she found useful on parenting,” Rose added, rolling her eyes.

“It’s great to see you,” Bran smiled. “Come on in,” he said, stepping aside to Rose could get past him.

Rose set the box of books down on the counter and looked around. “This isn’t quite what I imagined your place to look like,” she said with a grin until she wanted to kick herself for sounding so flirtatious.

“My decorator was insistent that I add the baby furnishing,” he joked. “No idea why.”

A comfortable quiet fell between them for a few moments while Cora’s quiet snoring filled the air. “Can I hold her?” Rose asked tentatively.

Brandon smiled and adjusted his daughter so that Rose could take her. “Here you go,” he said quietly.

Cora’s sleep was momentarily interrupted as she adjusted to Rose’s arms. “She kind of looks like you,” Rose commented, placing a kiss on top of Cora’s fuzzy head.

“Nah, she looks like Moira, her mum,” Brandon said as he looked through the books from the Weasleys. “Your mum thought I’d need a book on nursing techniques?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Giggling slightly, Rose explained, “She thought it would help you to know the theory.”

A cry from Cora broke apart their exchange. “Let me take her – I think she’s hungry. Or needs to be changed,” Brandon said with his arms towards Rose.

Taking Cora into his arms, Brandon held her at eyelevel and cooed gently. “What’s the matter?” he asked the fussing infant. Cora stopped crying which caused a huge grin to spread across Brandon’s face until vomit splashed onto his face and shirt.

Rose sprang into action and vanished the vomit. “They do that a lot,” she said, taking the sick covered baby. “You grab a clean shirt and I’ll burp her.”

Brandon pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it in the hamper before heading to his room for a clean one. Rose’s eyes followed him as he walked away, noting the tattoos on his arm. Cora burped up a bit more while Brandon was changing. “You might need to get a few more shirts,” Rose started to call but stopped when the door opened.

“Why hello,” came an older woman’s voice. “Who, may I ask, are you?”

Turning on the spot, Rose saw a woman in her 40’s standing in the doorway. “Mum,” Brandon called, standing a few feet behind Rose. “I thought you were stopping by tomorrow.”

A kind smile spread across the woman’s face before she said, “I couldn’t wait that long to meet my granddaughter.”

Still patting Cora’s back, Rose introduced herself to Brandon’s mother. “I’m Rose Weasley – a friend of Brandon’s.”

“Beatrice Savage,” she said, not proffering a hand as both of Rose’s were busy with Cora. “I met your family many years back,” she told Rose in a kind voice.

Looking towards Brandon, Rose said, “I should get home.” Brandon picked his daughter up and gave Rose a one-armed hug, thanking her for the help and books. “It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Savage,” Rose said, extending a hand to Bran’s mom who was observing her with a keen eye.

“Pleasure,” Beatrice said warmly. Once Rose had shut the door behind her, Beatrice turned to her son and grandchild. “May I?” she asked with a nod toward the baby.

“This is Cora,” Brandon said as he passed his daughter over.

Beatrice examined the baby with the scrutiny of one inspecting a high value item before surrendering gold for it. “You’re positive she’s yours?” she asked, taking in the tiny features in front of her.

“Mum,” came Brandon’s terse voice. “I _am_ sure. D’you think I’d just go pick up a child from any woman I spent a few nights with?” Brandon hated being so vulgar about Moira, who he’d only dated for a few weeks, but sometimes blunt was the only way to get through to his mum. “They did tests at St. Mungo’s before work would let me go back and claim her from the family she was with.”

Seeming to accept this as a sign for her to give affection to the child, Beatrice ran a finger through Cora’s hair. “She’s adorable and looks a lot like you,” she told Brandon. “Does her mother’s family want her?”

Shaking his head, Brandon said, “They’re muggles and aren’t very accepting of magic. I remember Moira mentioning that once or twice.” Cora let out a happy shriek as Brandon tickled her gently. ‘My boss has been very supportive while I’ve been dealing with this,” he told Beatrice.

“I’m not surprised,” Beatrice commented. “Are you taking time off while you’re setting in with Cora?”

“They’re giving me paternity leave for a bit and then I’ll have to find a nanny.” Looking around his flat, Brandon added, “Probably a bigger place too.”

Beatrice sat in the rocker to coax Cora back to sleep. With a hesitant look at her son, she asked, “Will you settle down with someone? A woman’s touch will help while you raise a daughter.”

The statement felt more than unfair to Brandon. His mother had always been supportive and accepting of anyone he loved but he supposed it was her rather old-fashioned mentality that caused her to push for a ‘ _traditional’_ family. “I’ll do what I’ve always done, Mum, love who I love and let the cards fall where they do.” Brandon’s voice was firm but his the anger he felt at the suggestion.

The tone in her son’s voice told Beatrice that there’d be no persuading him otherwise. Frankly, she would have been slightly disappointed if he did bend to social norms for a family. Beatrice had been a single mother to him and never regretted it despite being often told it would be to her son’s detriment. “You’ll be a wonderful father, Brandon,” Beatrice said reassuringly.

Once Cora was in her crib and his mum was set up on the futon, Brandon crawled into bed and glanced at the note from Albus. He wished it had been Albus who popped by rather than Rose. Brandon missed Al and desperately needed someone to lean on while his life settled around him.


	8. Where the Wind Blows

Meeting friends from school for tea and an afternoon snack was as nerve-wracking as it was pleasant. Rose spent half the time after lunch she was supposed to use to look up good wizard-run inns fixing her hair and trying on various outfits. Rose wanted to impress her close friends but didn’t want to look like she was trying to do so. Eliza and Agatha had been Rose’s close friends while at school but the three girls were busy with their lives and weren’t in contact very often.

Finally deciding on a light blue top, Rose finished dressing and double checked where Eliza had specified to meet. It was a tea parlor in Diagon Alley which Rose never heard of but she had a good idea of its location as there’s a café spot that changed ownership every few years. Rose didn’t want to risk getting filthy taking the Floo network so she apparated to the Leaky Cauldron for a quick hello to Hannah before walking to the end of the street.

On her way down the street, Rose’s eyes snapped to Scorpius’ potion shop where she could see the blond man through the window. Her cheeks burned with a flash of embarrassment at she thought of their conversation the previous week. Rose had been perfectly content to think he didn’t want to continue dating her but was jilted that he never wanted her in the first place.

The tinkling bell of the tea parlor’s door, follow by a cry of “Rose!” from Eliza, pulled the distracted redhead back into the moment. Two pairs of arms flailed around Rose, donning hugs and squeezes as Agatha and Eliza converged on her.

“It’s so good to see both of you,” Rose told her two best friends as they took a seat in the cutely decorate salon. The three rather vivacious and giggly girls exchanged a few idle moments of pleasantry while they caught up on the basics: new hair, nice clothes, nothing of substance.

By the time their tea arrived, Eliza looked ready to settle into something more substantial than her new hair color. “I have rather exciting news,” she announced, flashing a wide grin.

It took a few moments of heavy silence for Agatha to finally prod Eliza on. “Well?” she asked with her eyebrows raised. “Don’t make us guess.”

“I told you a few months ago about David Bowman and our little vacation together?” Eliza verified with a coy smile. She didn’t wait for confirmation before thrusting her left hand out and saying “He proposed to me last weekend!” with a squeal of delight.

The shrill sounds of jubilation dominated the entire shop for a few moments while Rose and Agatha expressed their delight. “We _have_ to meet him soon,” Rose insisted as Agatha nodded in agreement.

“You’ll meet him soon enough,” Eliza smiled, her face glowing with contentment. “You’ll do more than that if you want – will you be my bridesmaids?” she asked with a flinch in anticipation of another jarring outburst from her friends.

“Of course!” Agatha cried out with delight.

“I am honored,” Rose grinned as a drop of doubt seeped into her mind. It felt surreal to have a friend getting married. At least it felt that way to Rose who struggled to see herself in a committed relationship, much less marriage.

As Eliza regaled them with her plans for an early fall wedding with wood imps to decorate the venue. She wanted her bridesmaids to wear ecru colored dresses. While Rose was trying to think if she knew what ecru was, Eliza continued on in her explanation of how many guests would be there and other details that Rose could not focus on until she understood the color of her dress. As soon as Rose determined she’d have plenty of time to ask her mum about ecru, she realized that fall was only a few months away.

“Will you be getting married this year?” she asked suddenly. “We’ve just started summer.”

Eliza looked slightly uncomfortable then confessed, “We are pushing for a quick wedding. I’m expecting a little one in the spring.”

There was another shrill outburst of excitement though Rose felt her excitement was pure routine. Marriage and a baby were two big steps to take in close succession. Agatha was going full steam about a baby shower after Christmas how she could be an auntie to the baby when Rose blurt out, “Isn’t that quite a bit to take on at once? I mean, a baby sounds great and you’ll be a fantastic mum but why get married?”

Both Eliza and Agatha were looking at Rose as if she had suggested that they should go live as muggles. Eliza’s laugh broke the quiet between the girls. “Oh Rose, I am having a baby _so_ we’ll get married,” she explained demurely. “David’s affections seemed to be waning so - _oops_ \- there I was pregnant.”

“You didn’t,” Rose gaped at Eliza, her jaw slightly open. “That’s so…” She struggled to find the right description of her friend’s action.

“It’s genius,” Agatha trilled with a look of deep respect on her face. “How else could you guarantee that he’d stick around?”

There were too many arguments pouring into Rose’s brain for any to leave her mouth with a semblance of reason. “You could start by… I dunno. But it’s not the end of the line if you have a breakup,” she insisted.

 Eliza and Agatha exchanged a glance before Agatha reached out for Rose’s hand and said, “Oh, Rosie, we know you’re still hung up on Scorpius. Don’t beat yourself up for not thinking of it.”

Rose’s blush only confirmed for Eliza and Agatha that they were right thinking that their friend was still brooding over her past relationship. It would have been too embarrassing for Rose to level with them about Scorpius – at least not now while they were convinced she still pined for the man.

Wanting to move the topic past her awkward love-life, Rose decided to bring up her travel business. “You won’t have to worry about finding a good honeymoon,” she grinned. “I’m starting a travel company for magical destinations.” Eliza mercifully latched onto this topic as she listed out several locations that sounded interesting to her for an ideal honeymoon with David.

\---

Scorpius glanced at the receipt for the calming draught he was brewing for a customer. Out of all the potions he got requests to brew on a regular basis, this was Scorpius’ favorite as it caused a soothing smell to fill his workspace and into the shop. The sound of the shop door opening couldn’t have come at a worse time as Scorpius was taking the nearly finished potion off the heat.

“I’ll be with you in a moment,” he called as he set the still hot elixir on a surface to cool. Scorpius checked that he was presentable before bustling into the shop, only to see his mother waiting for him with an expectant look on her face.

“Hello, Scorpius,” she said rather formally.

It wasn’t unprecedented for Astoria to visit Scorpius but her unannounced visits always caused a moment of panic for Scorpius while he catalogued the worst-case reasons she could be visiting. “Hello, Mother,” he echoed in the same cordial tone.

While Scorpius was always happy when his mother visited, he did not feel obligated to fill their conversations with idly courtesies and false cheer. Instead, he waited for her to initiate a conversation or state what it was that brought her to his shop.

“You’re looking well,” Astoria ventured as her eyes raked over Scorpius’ features. Not waiting for his response she said, “I was wondering if you’d like to have tea this afternoon.”

Scorpius debated telling his mother that he had plans as her last minute imposition on his time felt more like an afterthought than a meaningful attempt at being involved with her son. “I can have tea but I need to wait until the shop closes in half an hour,” he told her, deciding that it would be kinder to accommodate her last minute request of his time. “You can wait if you’d like,” he offered.

“That would be lovely,” Astoria said smiling despite her desire to cringe at the thought of her son being tied to such a frivolous thing as a shop schedule.

Thankfully for Scorpius, it was a busy 30 minutes in the shop. A handful of customers came by to pick up various potion orders and a few more stopped to make orders for potions they weren’t quite up to making themselves. When the last customer left with a cheery, “Until next time, Mr. Malfoy,” Scorpius waved his wand at the door, causing it to lock.

“I can make us tea in my flat,” he suggested with a polite smile.

“That sounds lovely,” Astoria said sweetly.

Scorpius showed Astoria up to his flat, glad that he had tidied up the previous night. His flat was usually clean enough for his own standards but knew it would have sent his mother into a slight frenzy if she had seen the stack of dirty dishes, unkempt laundry, and old newspaper about. Astoria seated herself at the small dining table and waited while Scorpius made them tea. Just as he was ready to serve tea, Scorpius wondered if his mother _knew_ how to make her own tea as he’d only seen her order it from the house elf.

Taking the tea with a quiet word of thanks, Astoria enjoyed the hot beverage for a moment before saying, “I miss having you at home – the Manor seems so empty without you.”

“I quite like living on my own,” Scorpius told her without thinking. Seeing that his words had been hurtful he added, “I do miss seeing you more.”

Astoria smiled at her son’s kind words. At times she felt like a failure as a mother with her son out of contact with the family. Despite months of pleading with Draco, she was unable to convince him to accept their son back into their life. She suspected that Draco was aware of her infrequent visits to his shop at Diagon Alley and liked to think he was glad of her contact with Scorpius. “How is your life outside of the shop?” she asked, hoping to get Scorpius to open up a little to her.

It took a few moments for Scorpius to wrestle with that question. His personal life felt like a complicated arena as he was dating Corbin but had Albus constantly showing up to confuse his emotions and actions. “I’ve been seeing a really nice man called Corbin,” he divulged, feeling his cheeks turn pink with the thought of how the man made him feel when they were together. “He’s in the book business,” Scorpius added, not sure what information his mother would find pertinent.

“That’s wonderful!” Astoria exclaimed, perhaps a bit overenthusiastically. Running down a list of what she would ask if Scorpius were dating a girl, she asked, “Is he a pureblood?”

This question put Scorpius off but he could see his mother was trying to be supportive. “He was in Slytherin but I think he’s a half-blood,” Scorpius provided. “His family name is Norton.”

“I’m sure he’s delightful,” Astoria said airily, wanting to keep the conversation positive. She supposed it wouldn’t matter to Draco if her son’s lover was a direct descendent of Merlin as long as that person was unable to provide them with a grandchild. “I’d love to meet him,” she said earnestly. “We could lunch together nearby so that you wouldn’t have to close down shop for too long.”

Scorpius hadn’t expected his mother to want to meet Corbin but welcomed the request as a sign of her embracing his life. “Lunch would be nice. I’m seeing Corbin tonight so I’ll see when he’s available.”

Astoria looked at her tea, noticing it was nearly empty.  Wishing she could say half of what she felt towards her son – the pride at his ability to be so self-sufficient and happiness that he was in a happy relationship – Astoria contended herself to smile and say, “I’ll expect an owl in a few days then.”

\---

Brandon could feel his eyelids growing heavy as sleep slowly won over him. Cora had petered out not 20 minutes past and he did not dare attempt to relocate her to the crib. A creak outside the door and the front door opening caused Brandon’s eyes to fly open. The sound of Albus’ voice quietly calling in put Brandon’s racing heart at ease.

In a whisper Brandon called out, “Come in, Al. Cora just got to sleep.”

Albus’ shoe squeaked and he flinched, listening for sounds of a fussing baby. Once he made it to the kitchen counter, Albus set down the small load he carried in – a teddy bear for Cora and flowers for Brandon. He had debated on the flowers but decided it would be an appropriate congratulations gift as well as an expression of affection towards Brandon.

Deciding that an opportunity to see Albus was worth the risk of getting up, Brandon carefully extracted himself from the now essential rocking chair. To Albus, Brandon with an infant in one arm while the other arm reached out for a hug was the most welcoming sight he’d seen in a while. “I’m just going to lay her down,” Brandon said with his lips brushing Albus’ forehead.

It only took a minute for Brandon to lay Cora down cautiously and make his way back out to the sitting room. Brandon’s stomach was in knots by the time he was less than an arm’s length away from Albus. Neither spoke for a moment but instead they both just took in the other’s appearance. Albus could see the puffy bags under Brandon’s eyes, showing that he was perhaps not getting the sleep he needed. Brandon noticed a shadow of reservation on Albus’ face which was understandable as so much had changed since the last time they were together.

Not able to keep the distance between them any longer, Albus sighed, “I’ve missed you,” and pulled the auror into a tight embrace. As Albus’ arms weaved around him, Brandon could feel the weight of the last week ebb away as it was slowly replaced by a light ecstasy.

“I’m so sorry about our date,” Brandon murmured, emotion crashing over him. “It was such a backwards-“

Shaking his head, Albus interrupted him, “You don’t have to apologize for that. I…” It was a split-second decision for Albus to steer away from the weekend he spent with Scorpius. Instead, he said, “I was so worried when Dad sat me down to tell me about Cora. I thought the worst had happened.”

The moments of dread and realization that Brandon could have been dead filled his mind again and caused his breath to stifle for a moment. Tears were clinging to Al’s long eyelashes as he looked up at Brandon. “I should have told you in person,” he said firmly. “Your dad’s been wonderful but I shouldn’t have let him bear that news.”

Brandon seemed momentarily overwhelmed by emotion, or perhaps sleep deprivation, but was caught off guard by the hot tears in his eyes. He could only remember crying a handful of times before discovering he had a daughter – now emotions seemed to run wild without regard for Brandon’s need for a cool exterior.

Albus traced a tear track with his thumb before wiping it from Brandon’s face.  “That doesn’t matter now…” he assured Brandon. “I’m here now.” Albus teetered on saying that he was there to stay but the words died in his throat. It felt like too much commitment for that instant when all he could honestly promise was the moment and the night.

Feeling that he could not wait a second longer, Brandon leaned his head towards Albus and kissed him tenderly. Thoughts of love swirled through his brain as Albus’ hand nimbly stroked his hair. Both snogging and romantic feelings were halted when Cora’s scream came from the bedroom. “She’s probably hungry,” Brandon sighed, pulling away from Albus to get a bottle ready.

“Have you eaten tonight?” Albus asked with a glance towards the kitchen. He wasn’t one to judge – not when he and James often bribed Lily to pick up their flat – but it was hard to tell if the dirty pans on the stove were from a recent meal or were there for a while.

The grumble from Brandon’s stomach was enough of an answer for Albus. He opened the fridge to see his options for a quick dinner. Thankfully there was egg, cheese, and bread available.

“You don’t have to make me dinner,” Brandon said with a warmed bottle in hand. “The kitchen’s a bit of a mess to boot.”

“Nonsense,” Albus told him. “You need to eat and I can get this squared away while you feed Cora.”

The offer of teamwork heartened Brandon as much as, if not more than, the interrupted kiss. Smiling, he said, “Don’t overwork yourself with the food. I’ll be back in a few.”

Albus made a quick inventory of the work he needed to do and set off. The first pot that clanged loudly reminded him to set a charm to muffle the noise he was making. It seemed as if all the time he’d spent with Nana cleaning up after large family dinners finally paid off. He was ready to start cooking in under ten minutes. Before letting James and Albus move out on their own, Harry made sure they could cook basic foods so that they would not rely on food ordering or sustain themselves on crisps alone. It was another ten minutes for two egg sandwiches to be ready to eat.

As Brandon had not emerged from the bedroom yet, Albus carried in the two plates. Brandon’s voice could be heard from the door, singing in a soothing voice as he held the bottle for Cora. Albus handed Brandon a sandwich so that he could eat and feed Cora at the same time. “She’s almost done,” he said with a mouthful of nourishment. “This is delicious. Thank you – I might have gone for the bottle myself,” Brandon joked.

“I’d be remiss to let you starve,” Albus grinned. “Were would Cora and I be then?” The frown that passed over Brandon’s lips told Albus that he hit a sensitive topic. “I’ll just have to come by more to make sure you’re eating enough.”

Brandon’s eyes locked with Al’s before he said, “I’d like that,” in a quiet voice.

Heat filled Albus’ face as he floundered to respond. Instead of answering, he finished his sandwich and took Brandon’s dish back to the kitchen when he was finished. Deciding to keep Brandon company as Cora went to sleep, Albus returned to the bedroom only to run into Brandon in the doorway.

“She’s all set to doze off now,” Brandon said with his hand wandering to Albus’ face. “You’ve been a lifesaver tonight.” With a click, the door to the bedroom shut leaving the two of them lightly pressed together.

They moved, as if dancing to a song both had memorized, to the futon in Brandon’s sitting room. “You’re doing quite well without help,” Albus encouraged him, holding in a moan at feeling strong hands against his skin.

Instead of stopping before they got too heated, as would happen when snogging outside a pub, neither Brandon nor Albus felt the need to restrain the desire they felt for each other. “I’ve wanted this for so long,” Brandon breathed into Albus’ neck as they lay with their limbs intertwined.

“Are you sure this is right?” Albus asked quietly. He didn’t want to voice his nagging resistance to commitment but couldn’t toy with Brandon’s affections while his life was undergoing so much flux. Despite wanting to continue with their desire, Albus knew to tread lightly with the single-father’s heart.

“I want you,” Brandon purred with his lips brushing Albus’ skin. “You’re my anchor and I trust you.” The declaration of trust made Albus feel worse rather than give any comfort but he could not deny Brandon when they were both more than eager to be together. Albus didn’t let his heavy heart deter him from fully appreciating a mostly uninterrupted evening with Brandon but it did remind him that he needed to sort out his own heart before entering someone else’s.


	9. The Wolves and the Ravens

The music and food were ready to go and James had set up enough sound muffling charms to keep the neighbors from being upset with the party. Rose and Lily had both invited their girlfriends and Albus invited his friend Cindy. There had to be one girl in attendance who would be suitable for James to chat up.

“You remember what I told you?” Al asked James as they surveyed their transformed flat. “Chat about your non-sports hobbies – like charms or eating.”

“Real funny, Al,” James muttered with his hands balled tightly.

“If you’re stuck about stuff to say, ask questions about her shoes, hair, or day,” Albus advised with a smirk.

James rounded on Albus with his arms crossed. “How do _you_ know all these tricks to chatting up women?” he asked incredulously.

“I don’t have to date girls to talk to them,” Albus laughed as his brother scowled.

A loud knock at the door broke up the impending argument between the two Potters. “It’s early still,” James shrugged as he opened the door with a wave of his wand. “Oh, it’s just Rose.”

Rose walked into the boys’ flat like she lived there though in reality she’d only visited a few times. “I thought you’d need help getting everything set up,” she said, taking in the room. “Oh, you guys did a decent job,” came her surprised voice.

“Glad we’re up to your posh standards,” James teased her before adding, “Aren’t your friends coming?”

It took a measure of self-control to not roll her eyes before saying, “Of course they’re coming. Agatha will be here with a handful of other girls from my year.”

“Isn’t Lily bringing her boyfriend?” Albus asked with an eye on James. His brother’s spewed drink was quite the satisfactory reaction for Al.

This time Rose wasn’t sure if she wanted to roll her eyes at Al or James but just shook her head at the two goons. “Yes – and don’t you two embarrass her,” she scolded her cousins. “It took me ages to convince her to bring him.” Rose wasn’t enamored by Archibald but didn’t want to ruin Lily’s chance to casually introduce him to her brothers.

“Does Dad know she’s seeing someone?” James asked in a would-be casual tone.

“James, this is why we don’t tell you things,” Albus sighed heavily. “Of course she hasn’t told Dad – he’d react worse than you.”

James was frowning to himself for a few moments then glanced at his watch. “I should put the music on!” he exclaimed, busying himself with finalizing the party ambiance.

Rose and Al exchanged a look then looked away for fear of laughing at James. Once she regained enough composure, Rose moved a bit closer to Albus. “Will Brandon stop in tonight?” she asked casually.

“No, he didn’t want to bother his mum to babysit,” Albus told her, wondering why she would ask. He knew Brandon and Rose had developed some level of friendship but they hadn’t seemed extremely close before. “He did tell me not to wander in drunk though,” Albus laughed heartily. He wouldn’t have stumbled into Brandon’s flat drunk, even before there was an infant there. Al felt torn about having a fun evening without Brandon but reminded himself that autonomy would matter to Brandon.

Her lips pursed together at Al’s joke but Rose didn’t know how to properly respond. She wanted to tell Albus off for not staying in with, who she assumed was now, his boyfriend. It really wasn’t her place to pry though.

Guests started to arrive in groups of two and three shortly after their announced starting time. Albus poured a simple cocktail for the first few guests and soon occupied himself dancing where the couch usually went. He was interrupted by Lily tugging on the sleeve of his shirt.

“Albus,” she shouted over the growing cacophony of music and socialization. “I’d like you to meet-“

Spinning around on the spot, Albus caught his first view of Archibald. “Archie,” Albus smiled with his hand extended. Archie took Al’s hand and shook it firmly. During the few moments of contact, Albus scrutinized the bespectacled man’s face, trying to decide if he looked kind and gentle as he’d been described.

“Nice to meet you,” Archie yelled with a grimace at the noise. “Lily talks about you all the time.”

When Al only smiled at this greeting, Lily tugged on Archie’s hand to direct him away from her brother. “Let’s go find James,” she said in his ear.

They left Albus alone to continue his attempts at grooving to the music. When Albus’ dance-floor gyrations were interrupted a second time, he was thrilled to see Cindy’s smiling face. Pulling his friend into a rib-cracking hug, Al said, “I’m so glad you made it!”

Cindy squealed at Al’s enthusiastic hug. “What is in that drink?” she quipped with a grin. “I had to come see you, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did,” Al declared before he downed the rest of his beverage. “I’ll make you one, Cin.”

They made it to the counter where booze, mixers, and cups were arranged for the guests. “You didn’t tell me this would be a quidditch party,” she nearly yelled as Albus handed her a drink. “Though, I shouldn’t be surprised if you and James are putting it on.”

“Not all quidditch players are scum like Dawlish,” Albus promised her as he looked at the mostly full flat in front of them. “One or two have to be decent.” He laughed before adding, “At snogging at least.”

“You’re shameless, Al,” Cindy laughed with her gaze moving through the crowd to see if any were worth chatting up. It didn’t take very long for one of the reserve players to ask Cindy to dance, causing her to blush but follow him closer to where people were dancing.

Albus leaned against the wall which had a steadying effect on the buzzed wizard. He could see Rose with her arms around Geoff, one of the beaters, as they did what could be called dancing, though Al wondered if it was an attempt at upright sex through their clothes. Knowing that Rose hadn’t done much in terms of dating, Al was glad that she was able to at least vent some pent up energy.

Feeling that it was just about time to reenter into the crowd, Albus topped off his drink and started towards the mass of people a few feet away. Albus was just getting into the beat of the current song when he was interrupted for the third time that night. This time the hands pulled Al close in a very familiar way. “Where have you been hiding?” Derrick rumbled in a manner that told Albus he was the more sober one of the pair.

“It’s a crowded party - I’ve been around,” Albus told him, putting a bit of extra space between them. That was proving difficult as they were boxed in by dancing couples.

Derrick seemed unable to read Albus’ body language at the moment, or wasn’t accustomed to being subtly rebuffed. Either way, he was getting dangerously close to Albus with a hungry look in his eyes. Many parties at the Potter flat had resulted in Derrick and Albus snogging on the sofa so it wasn’t farfetched for the chaser to come on so strong. Albus’ mind was on Brandon and how he’d rather be snogging the tall auror than rebuffing a drunk quidditch player.

Before realizing what was happening, Al could feel his lips moving against Derrick in a sloppy kiss. He was about to pull back when the heat of a jinx expanded from his stomach, causing uncontrollable laughter to emit from Albus. He looked around the crowd and could see Rose scowling at him with her arms crossed, the beater with whom she’d been previously entwined looked dejected by her sudden attention shift.

“Get away from him,” Rose growled to Derrick. He looked quite confused but disappeared into the crowd. With her wand aimed at Albus, Rose lifted the hex from her cousin. “Did someone slip you a befuddlement draft?” she snarled as Albus regained composure. “Or do you make it a habit to step to out of your relationships when any cute guy looks your way?”

Albus was irate but didn’t know where to start his tirade. “One, it’s not your business. Two, I was trying to get him off me-“

“I could really tell by the way your lips were pressing against his,” Rose spat. “Brandon is at home with an infant and you’re sexing it up at a party!”

“I am not ‘sexing it up’ – you’re overreacting. Derrick doesn’t know I’m seeing someone and we used to hook up at parties,” Al told her, refusing to blush at his previous party antics.

It looked to Albus like Rose was on the verge of continuing with her rebuke but instead she deflated slightly, saying, “You have something special with him, Albus. Not everyone else is as lucky to have someone like Brandon.”

The concern his cousin showed for his relationship with Brandon was more intriguing than the actual advice dispensed. “I… I know what it is I have,” Albus said idly before going to get another drink. By the time he was back to the spot he left Rose, she was dancing rather close to Benjie, the other beater on James’ team. Rose’s admonishment was true – Albus did have something special with Brandon but it felt as if there was so much more at stake between them than their feelings. Albus could easily picture himself being Brandon’s lover but balked at the idea of being a father-figure to Cora. Lost in thought, Albus drifted through the crowd, unable to focus his thoughts on the party or his relationship.

Despite the general tone of excitement in his flat, James couldn’t help but feel the party was not quite as successful as he hoped it would be. It seemed like everyone else was pressed up to someone with keen interest. Even Lily had her arms around _Archie’s_ neck and was, much to James’ disgust, snogging enthusiastically. James found Al and told him he’d be outside for a bit air and went down to the building entrance where he could sit on the stoop.

He didn’t expect to find someone else avoiding the party in the same spot as him. Recognizing the girl, James announced himself before taking a seat, “Evening, Cindy.”

She jumped slightly but smiled politely. “Hi, James,” came her rather sullen voice. “What brings you down here?”

James didn’t want to confess that he was failing at chatting up girls, which had been his goal for the night so he turned the question around. “I could ask you the same,” he supposed with a twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Cindy was thankful for the semi-darkness that hid her blush. “I didn’t expect a quidditch party,” she confessed quietly with a glance at James. His face bore striking resemblance to Albus but had a few very appealing quirks that she hadn’t seen in her friend.

“I can’t blame you for not being keen on quidditch players after that troll Dawlish,” James said in a strong voice. He had been friends with Douglas Dawlish but couldn’t stomach the way he treated other people and stopped hanging around the brutish beater. Albus had been against James’ friendship with Dawlish since the beater cheated on the girl next to James.

Feeling torn between embarrassment that James knew about her past relationship and glee that he thought poorly of her ex, Cindy tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and turned towards James. “Logically, I know not all quidditch players are like him,” she said with a choked laugh. “You seem quite nice, handsome even,” she let slip.

A whoosh hit James as he felt both elated and panicked at her words. Knowing that he didn’t have time to run upstairs and confer with Albus before making his next statement, James said the first thing that came to mind. “He really didn’t deserve someone as pretty as you.”

She couldn’t tell if it was the drink Albus made her or the way James’ lips moved when he talked but Cindy could feel her palms moisten with sweat and the vein in her neck throb as loud as the bass upstairs. Cindy wanted to say so much in response to the kind words but landed on something no words could adequately express. Taking Albus’ advice about snogging a cute quidditch player, Cindy leaned towards James and pressed her lips to his. It was a bold move for the usually shy girl but it paid off when James placed his hand tenderly on her cheek and kissed Cindy under the starry, moonlit sky.

\---

It was a matter of days until Rose would be taking her first group on a tour in Spain. The group of four had responded to her ad in the Daily Prophet and expressed a desire to visit somewhere warm for a week. They had paid a nice deposit on their trip which covered most of the gold Rose needed to front for their accommodations. She was taking the small group to the same towns she had visited with Agatha during the summer after they left Hogwarts.

Rose looked at her sheaves of parchment strewn across the table with her notes on the local history to highlight and Spanish phrases she’d been practicing. She wondered if it would be practical for her to live abroad to brush up on her language skill but also gain a local’s perspective on the history and culture of places she wanted to take people.

Bending over a map she had marked up with key historical events, Rose was caught off-guard by her mother’s presence in the room. “How are the preparations going?” Hermione asked, feeling slightly reassured at her daughter’s earnest attempt at making her own business with the amount of work she had put into the first trip.

“They seem to be going well… but I won’t really know until the trip,” Rose agonized with an anxious look on her face.

Hermione smiled at Rose and looked at the closest stack of parchment. “With all this hard work you’re doing, it’ll pay off in the end,” she encouraged her daughter. Taking a closer look at the top parchment, Hermione caught what looked like wedding information. “Are you branching into other services?” she asked with a forced calm to her voice. Wedding planning would be perfectly fine but Hermione couldn’t imagine her daughter getting married so young.

Laughing, Rose shook her head. “That’s for Eliza’s wedding – it’s in a few months and I’m one of her bridesmaids.”

The slightly sullen tone in Rose’s voice caught Hermione’s attention. “Don’t you like her fiancé?” she asked, not sure why her daughter would have such a strong opinion on who her friend loved.

“I’m sure he’s lovely,” Rose started with a sigh. She didn’t know what exactly the matter was until the words tumbled out of her mouth. “She’s having a baby and getting married but I’m still just roaming carefree and wild.”

Hermione sat at the table, causing Rose to follow suit. “You’re focused on more, well, practical things at the moment, dear,” she said in a consoling voice. “There’s always time for love and marriage but it helps to have a good head on your shoulders first.”

“You and Dad got married around my age,” Rose countered, not meaning to argue but unable to resist looking at facts.

Hermione glanced over her shoulder before continuing, “We were but it was a hardship on us to be married so young. Your father and I struggled for years before learning to be a couple.”

Rose looked shocked at this news. Her parents’ relationship wasn’t perfect but they never seemed like they were under duress by being together. “Why did you do it then?”

“There were a hundred reasons that pushed us to make a decision we just weren’t ready for,” Hermione said steadily. “I love your father very much but we were just a few years past fighting Voldemort and would have been better off growing separately for a while.”

“What’s kept you together?” Rose asked meekly. The idea of her parents clashing was quite foreign.

“Being too stubborn to quit helped,” Hermione laughed. “Also, we didn’t rush into starting a family,” she added delicately. “You and Hugo were a blessing but your father and I both needed to mature quite a bit before we were ready for you.”

“Rosie,” Ron called from the sitting room, inadvertently ending the conversation between mother and daughter. “Don’t leave your books by the fireplace. It could kill Hugo or me coming out of the fire.”

“She’s just hoping that’ll happen, Dad,” came Hugo’s voice.

Rose couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Hugo’s remark. Since he started training to be an auror, he had become quite the sycophant to their father. Not wanting to stomach her brother’s usual witless jibes, Rose got up from the table and asked, “Will it be a few hours until dinner?”

“At least, why?” Hermione questioned with her brow furrowed.

“I just thought I’d check up on Brandon,” Rose said, ignoring the look from her mother. “Albus said he wouldn’t be able to stop by for a few days and I said I’d look in on him,” she lied to avoid questions about wanting to bother him.

Getting up before her mum or anyone could object to her leaving, Rose put on her shoes and left the house. It was just a few minutes until she was outside Brandon’s flat. She didn’t quite know why she was so interested in seeing her cousin’s love interest but felt a burgeoning need to be in his company more.

Brandon answered the door with Cora in one arm and a puzzled look on his face. “Rose,” he said blankly, clearly caught unawares of her visit. The confusion was quickly replaced by a welcoming smile. “Come in,” he offered, stepping aside to let Rose through.

“Sorry for coming unannounced but I…” Rose faltered as she was unable to come up with a good reason to visit.

“It’s no problem,” Brandon assured her graciously. “Though, I’m a bit of a mess for company.”

Rose’s face fell at her categorization as company but recovered herself by saying, “Let me watch Cora while you shower.”

“You know, that sounds wonderful,” Brandon smiled. “I had quite the day at work and Mum had to go before I really got a chance to change. You really don’t mind, do you?” he checked, not wanting to dump his daughter on every guest to happen by.

“It’s not a problem, really. I came by to see if you needed a hand,” Rose invented as her real reason for coming by was a mystery to her.

After handing Cora off with a kiss to the infant’s forehead, Brandon retreated to the bathroom. “She’s been colicky,” he called through the door. If there was more to that, Rose didn’t hear as the squeak of handles being turned and water pouring drowned out other noise from the loo.

“You have the prettiest hair,” Rose cooed at Cora who gave her a gurgling smile. It was impossible not to smile back at the baby. “Let’s look at your button nose,” Rose said in the same melodic voice.

Rose was suddenly reminded of the meaning behind a colicky baby when Cora spit up all over her top and started to fuss at the unpleasant taste and action. Setting Cora down for a second, Rose got the sick covered shirt off and stooped down to pick Cora back up, this time with a towel between Cora’s face and her shoulder.

“There, there, you’re okay,” Rose crooned as Cora began to fuss. She was gently bouncing Cora in her arms to distract her from crying even more.

Her attempts to calm the upset infant caused Rose not to notice Brandon emerging from the bathroom until he was behind her. “Oh, no. I’m sorry about your shirt,” Brandon groaned as he reached for Cora.

Rose teetered on saying it was not a problem when she noticed that Brandon was just in a towel. Her eyes wandered for a moment then she blushed, catching his eyes also roaming freely. Letting out a nervous laugh, Rose was about to say it wasn’t a problem when the door opened.

Albus’ eyebrows formed a harsh line across his brow as he took in Rose with a sheepish look on her face and Brandon all but naked next to her. It didn’t help that Rose was also missing her top. His suspicious thoughts were interrupted when Brandon said, “You’re just in time, Al. Can you hold Cora while I get properly dressed?”

“Do I have to get naked for that?” Albus teased, taking Cora after making sure he had a protective blanket on his shoulder. Brandon kissed Al on the cheek before retreating to his room for clothes, leaving Albus with his cousin who was examining her soiled top. “Do you know if she’s eaten?” Al asked with his eyes fixed on Rose’s reddening face.

“I don’t think so,” Rose muttered as she siphoned off most of vomit from her top before pulling it on.

There were a few moments where neither of them spoke and the only sound was Albus gently thumping Cora’s back. “What brought you by tonight?” he finally asked with narrowed eyes.

Brandon’s loud, “Time to feed the hungry baby!” eliminated Rose’s need to answer her cousin. As Brandon opened the fridge, he glanced back and Rose and Albus who were both slightly glaring at each other. “Would you like to stay for dinner, Rose?” he asked, wanting to be polite.

“Thank you, but Mum’s expecting me home in a bit,” she declined warmly. “I’ll take you up on that offer another time though.”

Rose left the flat feeling disappointed and just a little ashamed. She didn’t want to thwart Albus’ relationship with Brandon but couldn’t sit back as her cousin let his relationship idle for so long.

\---

Scorpius paced his shop waiting for Corbin so they could meet Astoria at a restaurant down the way. He was nervous about Corbin meeting family, especially his mum. Astoria had been gracious enough when she met Rose, despite disliking her family. Scorpius wasn’t sure how she would be meeting a man without a strong pureblood connection who did not come from a prominent family. It would be unbearable for Scorpius if his mother were rude to Corbin.

Corbin appeared outside the shop and stepped in with a grin on his face. “Ready to go?” he asked with a buoyant note to his voice.

Nodding, Scorpius took Corbin’s hand and led him down the street only remembering to lock the shop when they were a store away. “Thank you for making time to meet Mum. I know you have a busy schedule with Paris about to take off,” Scorpius said with a squeeze to Corbin’s hand.

“You’re important to me and I _always_ make time when it matters,” asserted as they approached the restaurant.

Beaming at Corbin, Scorpius pushed the door open and immediately spotted his mother. Astoria stood up to greet her son. “Mum, I’d like you to meet Corbin Norton. Corbin, this is my mother, Astoria Malfoy,” Scorpius smiled as he watched his mother shake hands with Corbin.

They were seated and presented with menus by the formidable waiter. Once they had put in for their lunches, Scorpius felt a pang of anxiety as the conversation-heavy of their visit approached. He was pleased that Corbin seemed more than adept at conversing with parents.

“Scorpius tells me you’re doing business abroad,” Astoria put out there to start a cordial exchange with her son’s boyfriend. She didn’t remember Scorpius mentioning his age but it was a slight relief to her to see him with someone rather more mature and could help guide him through some of life’s lessons.

“I’m just about to secure a revenue stream in Paris with Rue des Livres,” Corbin explained, hoping that he sounded more confident than he felt at the moment. “Business may keep me away from Scorpius for a bit while it’s getting set up but it will be best for the long-run,” he added with a sideways smile at Scorpius.

“You wouldn’t believe how often Draco is away on business,” Astoria offered. She knew too well how lonely it could be to wait at home while business was being done elsewhere. “At least you’ll be busy with your own business, dear,” she said to Scorpius. “Though you’d love the romance of Pairs.”

It was strange to hear his mother speak of romance but Scorpius was pleased that she was being friendly. “Paris sounds like a delight,” he murmured, feeling Corbin’s hand rest on his knee. “I’ll need to have a clerk for the shop before I take a long vacation though.”

Corbin laughed airily. “Of course with the wages people demand these days, it may be better to just close the shop for a week.”

“I just couldn’t let the customers down,” Scorpius explained with an earnest note of concern in his voice. “Some of them really need a regular shipment from me.”

“Don’t be silly, dear,” Astoria chuckled lightly. “They can find something else to tide them over.”

“There are always private potioneers you could recommend,” Corbin chimed in.

Scorpius looked from Corbin to his mother wondering if they had prepared an argument about this beforehand as they were perfectly aligned with their opinions. “My business is targeting people who aren’t skilled enough to brew these potions but can’t afford a private dealer – they charge such a mark-up,” he told them, starting to feel nettled by their insistence that he could leave his shop for such a period of time.

“You should try targeting wealthier clientele, Scorpius,” Astoria suggested kindly. “Then you wouldn’t need to keep shop hours.”

“I quite agree,” Corbin said with a slight nudge to Scorpius’ side. “You wouldn’t believe the number of times I’ve told Scorpius as much, Mrs. Malfoy.”

While it was a relief for his mother and Corbin to hit it off so well, Scorpius was slightly concerned by how much they agreed on points where Scorpius felt very different from his family. Altogether, it would be better for Scorpius if Corbin got on well with Astoria but he’d have to get used to being at odds with them on several ideals.


	10. Only Myself to Blame

Cora could be heard babbling from her crib as she talked herself to sleep. Albus sat with his head resting on Brandon’s shoulder, their fingers laced together. “Does she always talk herself to sleep?” Albus asked with a smile playing on his face. On the nights Albus stayed over they were called out of their slumber at least once by Cora’s cries for food or a change. Every time this happened, Brandon apologized and Albus told him it was nothing to worry about. Al could always catch up on sleep at home when he wasn’t staying with Brandon.

“It’s either that or she fusses herself to sleep,” Brandon told him with his craned towards the bedroom door. “I read that it’s best for children to get themselves to sleep – something about early cognitive patterns. It was in one of the books Rose dropped off when I first got Cora.” He knew that there was still more to learn about this fatherhood business, but Brandon thought he could at least handle Cora’s regular care.

“Aunt Hermione has books on everything,” Albus laughed, nuzzling Brandon gently. “You’re really getting the hang of this father stuff.”

Brandon kissed the top of Albus’ head and smiled. “I’m trying, at least.” Idly stroking Albus’ unruly hair, he added, “I’ve been thinking we could get a larger place so that we can spread out a bit and Cora can sleep in her own room.”

Albus wasn’t sure if it was intentional, the use of _we_ and implying that they might have a common residence. He was just settling into the idea of commitment and thought cohabitation was a bit much to grapple with. “A larger place would be nice,” Al commented rather generically.

“We could spend time in _our_ bed, together, rather than huddled out on the futon,” Brandon murmured, his lips tickling Albus’ cheek.

Sitting up a bit straighter, Al coughed loudly. “Our bed?” he croaked. The idea of not being stuck on the futon each night time they wanted to be intimate was a delight but common ownership of a bed was entirely too grownup.

Brandon patted Albus on the back and summoned a glass from the kitchen. “Have some water,” he said tersely, thrusting the glass of water into Al’s hand.

“Thanks,” Al breathed after gulping some of the cool water.

Once Albus appeared to have regained full breathing ability, Brandon fixed him with a critical stare. He doubted that Al’s coughing fit was a coincidence with the mention of them co-owning a bed, if not an entire flat. While Albus seemed slightly reluctant after Cora, Brandon was certain that he’d want to still be together but he wanted to clarify this with Albus.

Taking in a steadying breath, Brandon asked, “Where do you see our relationship going?” This was a question Brandon had rarely asked in past relationships, never wanting to push a relationship in a direction it wasn’t naturally headed in, but he needed something of a stable partner – if he were to have one at all.

The question was not unexpected for Albus as he’d been wrestling with trying to understand what he was after with his relationship landscape. “I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “I care for you but there’s so much more to figure out than just my feelings for you.”

Part of Brandon had suspected that the prospect of co-raising a child would be overwhelming for Albus. That did nothing to stop hearing as much painful for the auror who had let unbridled optimism cloud logic. “That’s…” Brandon faltered in his response, emotion getting the best of his vocal chords. “That’s understandable.”

Panicking that his statement was taken as a desire to breakup, Albus jumped back into trying to explain where he was at. “I just need time to sort myself out,” Albus tried to explain.

“Are you dating someone else?” Brandon asked without filtering his thoughts, posing another question he never bothered with before. They hadn’t said whether they were exclusively dating but it never occurred to Brandon until that moment that Albus might be in love with someone else – he had been blinded to the thought by his own feelings for Albus.

“I… no. it’s just that I’m not ready to give up independence quite yet. Or I’m not sure if I’m ready,” Albus stumbled through his words, feeling sure that he was trampling Brandon’s feelings.

Brandon nodded curtly as he tried to gather the thoughts flying through his mind. “I’m not asking you to give anything up but I need some consistency in life – in Cora’s life. I can’t raise a daughter with a revolving door of partners,” he stated in as calm a voice as he could, wanting to tell Albus that he wanted to keep just him as a partner but knew that would only push on a sensitive subject.

Albus felt a sting of annoyance, like an old wound festering, at Brandon’s words. “You were the one who told me to find myself and be independent,” Albus hissed angrily. “Now you want me to discard all of that and settle down.” 

A frown formed on Brandon’s face as he tried to understand Albus’ sudden anger. “Part of being independent is knowing when you’ve found the right person to settle down with. It’s not discarding your freedom but more like going home,” Brandon choked out, revealing more about his own feelings than he meant. Placing a slightly shaky hand on Albus knee, he continued, “I’m going through quite a bit with my life but I want to go through that with you, not someone else.”

“I won’t string you along,” Albus murmured as he looked into Brandon’s dark eyes. “But I couldn’t make a promise that I’m not sure about.”

Pulling Albus close, Brandon kissed him gently then said, “You’re a real gem, Albus Potter. I hope you know that.”

Their conversation petered out as slow kisses and wandering hands distracted them from the topic. Neither was ready to take it further for fear of breaking apart their romance – a result neither wanted. Albus mulled over Brandon’s words about wanting to go through life’s challenges together as they continued to sit together in the now quiet flat.

\---

The night air was chilly in Leon but Rose did not mind the brisk evening. She was on the last night with a group of four tourists and so far the trip had been a great success. It was only a week long trip, which was what Rose decided would be her cap. She thought it would be difficult to maintain a buoyant, cheery disposition with clients for much longer than that.

Rose’s clients for this trip was a couple in their 40’s, the Fox family and their two grown children – Henrik and Janet, both in their 20’s. Mr. and Mrs. Fox had retired for the evening but asked Rose to show their children to the hotel pub that evening so they could see some of the local flavor. While Rose did not think two adults, who were each a few years older than she was, needed her supervision, she was not going to turn down the extra gold for a night of drinking.

Throughout the trip, Rose had caught Henrik’s gaze lingering on her but he’d always look away when she smiled in return. This evening wasn’t any different – he laughed at her jokes and let his eyes land on her blushing face more often than was simply to be polite. After two pints of mead, Janet said goodnight and returned to her room.

“Are you up for another pint?” Rose asked with a smile to Henrik.

“Of course – can’t find better company than I already have,” he smiled. “Let me get this round,” he offered, half out of the chair.

“No, I insist,” Rose laughed, not waiting for him to object. As she was being paid to show him about, it seemed in poor taste to have him buy their drinks.

The bartender looked up as Rose approached. “Another round for you and your _amante_?” he asked with a nod toward Henrik.

It took Rose a moment to connect that Pedro, whose name she learned on her previous jaunt to the bar, meant Henrik. “Oh, no, he’s my client.”

Pedro smirked and raised his eyebrow at Rose. “Your _client_?” he asked suggestively. “You seem like such a reputable girl.”

Laughing, Rose shook her head. “Is this how you charm all your patrons?”

“Am I charming you?” Pedro asked with a purr. “I should call more girls prostitutes.”

“Hardly,” Rose shot back at him. “I’m a tour guide,” she explained with a glance at Henrik, who was watching her interaction with interest.

Pedro’s eyes wandered towards the blond who was patiently waiting for Rose at a table across the room. “He’s looking for more than travel advice from you, sweetheart,” Pedro asserted with a wink. Rose opened her mouth to interject but he went on, “Just be careful what you’re selling. It’s hard to take something off the menu after word gets out.”

He handed two pints of mead to Rose and told her they were on the house. “Thanks, Pedro,” Rose said as she carried them off to the table.

Once she was back at the table and the drinks were properly set down, Henrik asked, “Was the bartender giving you a hard time?”

“Not at all – he was just advising me on some local points of interest,” Rose invented as she thought it would be rather embarrassing to share their real discussion.

A lull in their conversation allowed Rose to sip her mead while trying not to look at Pedro, who was watching to two of them with a smile curving the corners of his lips. He raised his eyebrows at Rose which caused her to smirk into her glass. Henrik had the look of someone trying to think of something catchy to say – Rose knew that look from chatting up more than a few blokes in pubs around London.

“I never expected our tour guide to be so pretty, or young,” Henrik commented with a red tinge working up his neck. “Though, I’m sure you get that reaction a lot.”

An honest answer of “You’re the first,” came from Rose’s mouth as she blushed. She wanted to kick herself for throwing off a flirtatious vibe.

After downing the last of his drink, Henrik suggested they get out and walk around the neighborhood they were in. “I’d love to see that Basilica you pointed out today,” he said earnestly.

Rose agreed, thinking it would do her good to see it herself so that she could talk about it in depth with her next group. “It’s just a few streets from here,” Rose said with a smile.

They walked along the cobblestone sidewalk and chatted about highlights from the trip. “It is fascinating how the goblins in Spain don’t manage their gold,” he commented as they passed a muggle bank. “Work would be much easier if we could manage gold like they do in Spain.”

“What is it you do?” Rose asked, wondering how she could have gone a week and not have asked that before.

“I’m an actuary with Gringotts,” he told her, then added, “I help them find good investments and point out the risky ones.” Rose couldn’t honestly say that his job sounded interesting, or neat even, so she stayed quiet. Seeming to guess correctly that his job sounded dull, Henrik continued, “It’s not a job for everyone which makes it all the more lucrative for me.”

“That’s nice then,” Rose said politely. She would rather do an interesting job for a modest salary than rake in galleons but be tediously bored. They were approaching the basilica, with lights shining on it from the ground to highlight the ancient architecture. “Here we are,” Rose announced.

Henrik and Rose stood across the way from the ancient building for a few minutes, just looking at the old religious center. “Very pretty,” Henrik commented, almost under his breath.

Rose glanced at him, about to say she agreed, when his arm slipped around her. She was being pulled into an embrace that was quite unwanted. Seeing Henrik’s lips and the rest of his face approaching her, Rose started to say, “I don’t think this is a-“ but was cut off when Henrik’s lips met her.

Pulling away with more strength than she was aware of possessing, Rose glared at Henrik. “I wish to keep a professional relationship with-“

Once again she was cut off. “You’ve been flirting with me the whole trip – I thought you wanted to,” Henrik stormed. It was hard to tell if he was more angry or embarrassed. It was as if Pedro had been reading into Rose’s future with how the conversation with Henrik was going.

Breathing in deeply, Rose was red in the face from both anger and embarrassment. “I apologize for any mixed signals. I’ve just been trying to show your family a good time,” she explained as calmly as she could. “It’s nothing to do with you, Henrik,” she assured him, not wanting to hurt his feelings.

“I understand,” Henrik said stiffly. After a moment he seemed to regain composure and told Rose, “It’s rather late and I’ll need rest before the return journey.”

“Yes, of course. Thank you for the lovely evening,” Rose said cordially.

Despite leaving for the same place, Henrik and Rose parted separately. Rose thought she could hear a pop just a street over, indicating that Henrik had apparated back to the hotel. Wanting to clear her mind, Rose went back to the bar on foot.

Taking a seat at the bar, Rose gave Pedro a piercing stare. “How’d you know he’d try to kiss me?” she asked with a sullen tone. “Did you overhear him?” That seemed like the most likely scenario – Henrik must have said something to Pedro indicating he’d try to make a move.

“My dear, you’re pretty and friendly. Most men will take that as an open invitation,” he supplied, offering Rose water.

Rose sipped on her water and contemplated the advice from Pedro. She knew that her next trip would entail a much less friendly demeanor. Her actions would only be about business, not anything that could be taken for flirtation. “It looks like you’re about to close up,” Rose commented, seeing that most patrons had cleared out.

“You can stay while I clean up,” Pedro smiled at Rose. “I could use the company.” Pedro pulled out his wand and began to tidy up the chairs. “Have you done many of these tours before?” he asked with a smile.

“It’s my first, actually,” Rose told him, hoping it hadn’t been too obvious. “I’ve done trips on my own but I’m making a career out of taking groups on trips like this.”

Pedro took the seat next to Rose with a beer in his hand. “Will you be coming back to León?

“I hope to but I’ll need a group that wants to come here.” Rose glanced at Pedro with a shy smile. “Just trying to see how much business I’ll bring in here?” she teased.

“No…” he paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. “I wanted to see if I would have another chance to do this.” Rose’s heart raced as Pedro tilted his head slightly and pressed his lips into hers. It wasn’t a forceful kiss but it caused a warmness to fill Rose’s stomach. Clumsily setting her glass down, Rose placed her hand on Pedro’s shoulder and leant into the kiss.

It was several minutes before Rose pulled back from Pedro’s silky mouth. “I really should go to bed,” she sighed. “We have an early portkey back to London.”

“Well, Rose, you’ve certainly shown me a good time tonight,” Pedro said with one side of his mouth hitched up. “I hope to see you when you’re here next.” He kissed her once more on the cheek before they parted.

\---

Lily was glad for Archie’s hand on her back while the other was gently holding her hand – it was difficult to walk blindfolded while wearing high heels. Archie had asked her to dress for a date but said it would be a surprise. This left Lily expecting that they’d go somewhere using side-along apparition, not that she’d be traipsing through an unknown location.

She could tell that they were walking on stone, which was much better than walking over grass in her pointy heels. There were other people around, perhaps muggles as they were talking about television and other nonsense.

“Careful, there are stairs here,” Archie whispered in Lily’s ear. “Here, let me carry you.”

He placed one her hands at his shoulder and scooped Lily into his arms. Lily let out a squeal but tried not to squirm as she was being carried. They went up what felt like half a dozen steps before Archie stopped walking. Lily was about to ask if they arrived until Archie walked a few more steps with her still securely in his arms.

“I’m going to set you down,” he told her in a low voice. He placed a kiss on her cheek before carefully lowering Lily until her feet were on the ground. “Close your eyes,” he requested quietly.

Lily shut her eyelids, which had been partially opened in hopes of getting a glimpse at their location. She could feel Archie remove the scarf from her head and adjust a few stray hairs. “Can I look now?” she asked, feeling anticipation build.

“Open your eyes, beautiful,” Archie told Lily with his hands on her shoulders.

Blinking a few times, Lily could see that they were somewhere that could be a museum – except they were standing outside. “We’re at the Greenwich Observatory,” he explained, glancing back towards the building they must have walked though. “And we’re standing on both sides of the Prime Meridian.”

Glancing down, Lily could see a line diving her and Archie. It was ornate, made to stand the ages. She wondered at the reason for Archie bringing her to this location. “It’s beautiful,” Lily commented, not sure what her reaction was supposed to be.

“Merlin helped the muggles with this monument and it was meant to stand as a tribute to time and beauty,” Archie told her, his hand caressing Lily’s cheek. “I brought you here because I love you and I want that to be as timeless as the line between us right now.”

It was the first time a boy, excepting family, said he loved her. Lily wrapped her arms around Archie’s neck, her eyes brimming with tears. “I love you, Archibald,” she managed as she felt his arms around her waist.

They walked to the edge of the observation deck which gave them a spectacular view of London. “The Ministry has an agriculture operation just past that grove,” Archie said with his arm extended towards a patch of trees on the horizon. “We come by here often as there are some underground facilities here. It’s a great place for it as muggles can only visit at certain times.”

“Is that how you decided to take me here?” Lily asked with her head resting on Archie’s shoulder.

“It’s a beautiful place for my beautiful girl,” he said with a smile. Lily’s stomach was going through loops at an alarming speed. She and Archie had been dating for a short while but he was definitely more serious than any of her previous relationships.

Lily turned so that she could look into Archie’s hazel eyes and asked, “Will you come to brunch and meet my family?” He’d been shy about meeting her rather famous family for their entire relationship but with his proclamation of love it seemed only fitting that he meet everyone. Well, at least her parents as he’d already met her brothers and Rose.

“Just as long as your dad doesn’t slip me a truth serum and start on an interrogation,” he laughed. Archie imagined it would be slightly terrifying to date any auror’s daughter but it was even more so as Harry was _the_ auror.

“Only if you make him mad,” Lily teased, poking Archie’s side. “So, might want to keep your hands to yourself and comb that hair of yours.”             

“What about my lips?” Archie asked in a husky voice. Before Lily could answer, he placed a hungry kiss on Lily’s cherry red mouth. The sun was setting which cast a fiery orange light on the passionately engaged couple. Lily wanted the moment to last an eternity but would settle for several long minutes instead.


	11. Ice Cream

A sharp poke in the ribs brought Albus out of his reverie. “Are you here, Al?” Teddy asked with a grin playing on his face. “You’ve been a bit distracted all afternoon.”

There was truth to this – Albus had gone to visit Teddy with the hopes of clearing his mind enough to think through his relationship with Brandon but seemed unable to do the part where he emptied his mind. Albus’ need to figure out priorities hadn’t put a damper on his relationship with Brandon – not yet at least. “Sorry,” Al muttered, not meeting Teddy’s eyes.

Teddy shook his head as he adjusted in his seat. “Do you want to talk about it? You’re hardly this sullen unless there’s something major going on.” Growing up, Teddy had been used to Albus going through moods but they were usually from something quite evident – Rose stealing his toy broomstick, James shoving him while they raced each other, or Fred placing an exploding snap in his chair. As Albus grew into a man, the sources of his moods were harder to detect.

Albus looked on the verge of speaking when a little boy with sand-colored hair ran into the room yelling, “Albus, Albus, you have to come look at my tower!”

“Remus,” Teddy started firmly. “We were talking – we’ve talked about interrupting before.”

Seeing the small child looking so letdown at the admonition, Albus couldn’t bear to not indulge him. “It’s okay, Remus. What did you want to show me?” Teddy gave Al a disparaging look as he watched his son grab Albus’ hand to lead him to the sitting room. “Wow, that’s a tall tower!” he could hear Albus exclaim.

“Will you build an even taller one with me?” Remus asked excitedly.

Albus smiled at the eager boy but said, “I’m going to talk with your dad for a bit but you should come get me when _you_ build a taller tower.” Remus looked a bit let down but agreed.

Returning to the dining room where he and Teddy were halfway through their mugs of tea, Albus said, “Sorry about that. I couldn’t leave him hanging when he’s so excited.”

With his eyebrows raised, Teddy asked, “Don’t you think he knows that?” Seeing Al’s baffled look, Teddy let out a loud laugh. “You have a lot to learn about kids.”

A serious look fell on Albus’ face. “I know,” he admitted solemnly. “I’d be a horrid father.”

Slightly taken aback by the turn in their conversation, Teddy contemplated the news he’d heard through the family grapevine about Albus’ sort-of boyfriend having a child. “That’s not true, Al. You love kids – that’s more than half the battle.”

Albus did not seem convinced by these words. Of course Teddy would do this best to assuage his doubts – Teddy had always been the comforter for Al when he was down. Albus was sure there was a secret instruction manual handed out to parents and that he would never be able to figure it out. “There’s just so much about it that I don’t know,” he sighed. “It’s quite the responsibility. I’m good at being the fun grownup and coming in for a few hours. I dunno if I’d be good at it for longer than that.”

“No one is good at it when they start. You learn from other people and do your best with trial and error,” Teddy assured him. “There’s a lot you can learn from books but none of that means a thing until you’re in it for real.”

“How young is too young?” Albus ventured quietly. He was sure that Teddy knew or could guess what brought on this series of questioning. Waiting for the answer to this query made Albus more anxious than any other he posed – this was his biggest sticking point. What would he give up by accepting a long-term position in Brandon’s life?

Teddy hesitated before answering, running his hand through the thick hair atop his head as was common while thinking. “It’s not a situation where age matters as much as the other variables at play,” he started slowly. “Maturity plays into it, but so does a willingness to give your all. The most important element is having the right partner to raise a child with.”

Sighing heavily, Albus picked at a bit of blueberry muffin he’d been eating. “Did you feel mature enough?”

A loud laugh from Teddy told him the answer. “Not at all. We wanted to have a child but I doubt anyone feels prepared for it. You truly need to have a partner you’re confident in…” Teddy debated tackling the real hippogriff in the room head on for a few moments then decided he might as well. “Do you love Brandon?” Albus nodded slowly. “That, more than the presence of a child, should guide your heart in this matter.”

The sound of feet pounding the hardwood floor announced Remus’ return to the dining room. “I made a _bigger_ tower,” he announced with a precocious grin. Teddy and Albus followed Remus into the sitting room where they were greeting with the sight of chairs with the end table stacked on top, and a tower of blocks on there.

Albus wasn’t sure whether to laugh or not but the look on Teddy’s face was one of mixed anger and pride. “How did you do this, Remus?” Teddy asked in a voice that clearly told Albus he was on the verge of lecturing his son.

The look on Remus’ face – that of dashed excitement – showed that he understood trouble was nearby. “I wanted a tall tower and the chairs just _moved_ ,” he explained with an excited note to his voice. “Then the table went on top and I climbed up with my blocks.”

Teddy’s face showed pleasure more than anger now. “Remus,” he said, pulling the small boy close, “You’re so good at magic, but you need to be careful when you use it.”

“Okay, Dad,” Remus nearly sang. Albus could see that the praise about his magic resonated more that the reprimand about safety. This was only highlighted when Remus tugged on Albus’ sleeve and asked, “Wanna see me make it taller?”

Pulling Remus into a hug that lifted him off the ground saying, “No but I’ll lift you to the top,” as he raised the giggling boy above his head. Remus reached his hands out, knocking the block tower over. “Oh no, now we have to clean it up!”

They spent the next fifteen minutes picking up blocks and putting the furniture back. Albus used his wand to straighten up the furniture which seemed to fascinate Remus. “When can I have a wand?” he inquired with his eyes on Al’s mahogany wand.

“Not until you’re 11 and on your way to Hogwarts. How many years is that?” Albus asked brightly. He knew Remus was smart for his age and always liked testing how much he could figure out.

Looking at his fingers for a moment, Remus counted then shouted, “Six!”

The smile on Teddy’s face seemed to be for Albus as much as it was for Remus. “Well done,” he said with a wink to Al. “And you’ll only be able to use magic at school until you’re seventeen,” Teddy told his son, who looked dejected at waiting so many years to do magic whenever he pleased.

It was only a brief interaction with his cousin’s son but Albus left Teddy and Victoire’s house with a new sense of confidence about being able to navigate not only his relationship with Brandon, but a responsible role with Cora.

\---

No bed felt better than her own, especially after a week away. Rose was immensely glad to be home after her first tour to Spain. The Fox family seemed very happy with their experience, having left her with an unexpected bit of gratuity. Even after the awkward interlude with Henrik, they seemed to think of her as quite the professional. Rose imagined that he did not share their experience with the rest of his family.

After coming home, Rose enjoyed a long shower and a delicious home-cooked meal. Her parents had been thrilled to hear that the trip was a success – and that she made a profit doing it. They weren’t completely focused on her earnings but wanted to ensure that their daughter could be self-sufficient with this career. Now that Rose had slept a night in her bed, she decided it was high-time to unpack.

Not being the best at neatly packing, Rose had to dig through her dirty laundry and books before unearthing the various souvenirs she brought back. There was the book on Spanish Magical Law for her mum, a bit of information on Spain during the Second Wizarding War for her dad, and even a box of sweets for Hugo. At the very bottom of her trunk, wrapped in a jumper it had been too warm to wear, Rose had the gift she was the most anxious to give – a baby book for Cora. It had lovely illustrations that danced across the page.

Rose glanced at her watch and saw it was around the time she’d expect Brandon to be home from work – not that she was _really_ tracking such facts. Stopping by with a gift felt like a great idea – just as long as Albus wasn’t there to be a bother. Somewhere in her mind, Rose knew that she was being unfair to Albus by targeting Brandon with her affections, but if _he_ wasn’t going to take advantage of the opportunity in front of him…

Stopping in front of the mirror by the front door, Rose checked her reflection. “Mum, I’ll be home in a bit,” she called out before swiftly exiting. Her parents didn’t expect her to always tell them where she was off to, but they tended to ask.

Her heart was beating harder than usual as she stood in front of Brandon’s door. Giving the door a soft knock, Rose waited until she heard Brandon’s voice to open the door and enter. “Rose!” he called out from the sitting room, just able to see her over the kitchen counter. “You’re back from Spain.”

“I got back yesterday,” she told him, approaching the line between kitchen and sitting room. Leaning against the wall, Rose added, “I brought Cora a gift.” Seeing that Albus was not there caused a wide smile to spread over Rose’s face.

Brandon was on the floor with Cora, who was just able to sit up on her own, and was stacking blocks for her to knock down. “That’s kind of you,” he smiled warmly. It had been strange at first for Rose to show up announced but Brandon took it as part of being involved with Albus and welcomed her unexpected visits as being part of the family. Deciding that Cora could manage blocks on her own for a few minutes, Brandon got up to see what Rose brought over.

Heart beating fast, Rose looked into Brandon’s chocolaty eyes as he approached. “I saw this on my trip and thought it’d be nice for Cora,” Rose explained, pulling the book out of her bag. “Um, it has moving pictures,” she faltered as Brandon leant closer, looking at the book.

“That looks wonderful,” Brandon said as he opened the book. “She’ll enjoy this – it’s really lovely.” Placing an arm around Rose and giving her a quick squeeze, Brandon gave a hearty, “Thank you,” before placing the book on the kitchen counter. He didn’t quite have a good place for children’s books at the moment but knew he’d have room once he was in a larger place.

Seeing that the purpose of her visit had been met, Rose cast about for a reason to stay longer. “Will Al be over for dinner?” she asked before Brandon could return to blocks with Cora.

“Nope, it’s just me and Cora tonight,” he told Rose. “Though, you’re welcome to say if you’d like. I’m afraid I don’t have anything particularly nice planned.”

“That’s no problem. I’m sure you could use the company if Al is still being flaky,” Rose chirped.

“I, uh,” Brandon hesitated at how best to respond to Rose’s statement. “He’s just been giving things a good think through,” Brandon finally said. It was clear that Albus had discussed his doubts about their relationship to Rose, so it felt okay to acknowledge the fact to her statement.

Rose took a tentative step closer to Brandon, placing her hand on his arm. “I can’t believe he’d risk losing you,” she murmured, blinking into Brandon’s eyes.

A bleak smile passed over Brandon’s face as he said, “There’s not much risk of me flying the coop. Besides, not many people are eager to be in a relationship with a single dad.” It was the first time Brandon had acknowledged this thought out loud but he knew the truth of it from the moment he carried Cora into his home.

“You’d be surprised how well fatherhood suits you,” Rose said demurely.

Brandon gulped and started to say, “It really doesn’t-“ but was cut off by Rose pressing into him with a lascivious kiss that took him by surprise. The initial response came from Brandon’s body rather than his brain with his hand rising to Rose’s cheek, stroking it softly, and his mouth moving against hers with equal passion. Rose was pleased by his response and tried to put all her bottled up desire for the handsome man into the moments that their lips met.

When Brandon’s brain finally caught up with a simple fact – _this was wrong_ – he pulled back suddenly. His heart was set on Albus and it was folly to entertain thoughts of anyone else, especially someone so close to Al. Rose’s face was glowing and she still had a needy, hungry look in her eyes that couldn’t fully mask hurt.

It was Brandon’s desire to comfort her as a friend but abstained from that instinct and as instead spurred to speech. “I’m sorry, Rose,” he breathed, not really feeling culpable for their kiss but wanting to cut through the action with clear ownership of responsibility. “I shouldn’t have let that happen or let you think there was something between us.”

Rose couldn’t meet Brandon’s eyes as he apologized for her kiss. “I needed to – even if it’s just once,” she admitted quietly.

At a loss for a proper response, Brandon just shook his head. “I think it’d be best if you left,” he said firmly.

Rose bit her bottom lip, fighting back tears that were hazing her vision. After a quiet, defeated goodbye, she left Brandon’s flat with guilt slowly setting in.

\---

This wasn’t Scorpius’ first trip to Paris but it was his first vacation with a romantic partner. That alone made the trip quite thrilling for the young wizard. Corbin had convinced Scorpius to close the shop for a long weekend, insisting that a two day closure wouldn’t be detrimental to his business. Their hotel was in the heart of Paris which was ideal as it made exploring the city together easy. Scorpius was familiar with safe locations to apparate, he did not want to risk exposing muggles to magic by suddenly appearing on a busy street.

It was their first full day in the magical city and Corbin suggested a trip to the Eiffel Tower. Scorpius had seen the tall monument from afar but hadn’t been up to the observation deck before. Being in the cage referred to as an elevator was a bit unnerving. Scorpius stood as close as he could to Corbin, holding his hand for security as they rose up slowly.

“I’m always amazed that these work,” Scorpius told Corbin in an anxious whisper. “They seem so unreliable.” Almost on cue, the elevator groaned as if objecting to Scorpius’ aspersions about its functionality.

Corbin smiled at him sweetly and said, “These are rather simple machines so there’s not much for the muggles to mess up with their operation.” He gave Scorpius a kiss on the cheek just as they reached the observation level. “See, we made it just fine.”

They both stepped out into the wind and huddled just slightly closer together. Corbin took Scorpius by the hand and led him towards a spot away from the crowd. “That’s where we’re staying,” he said, pointing out a cloister of buildings not too far from where they were. “Over there is where…” Corbin paused a moment as he debated revealing this piece of his past. Taking a deep breath he continued, “Where my family hid during the Second War.”

Scorpius didn’t look at where Corbin was pointing, rather he turned so that he could look into the other man’s face. “Your family hid in Paris?” he asked, trying to sound casual about the question.

The obvious question – _why_ – was the one Corbin decided to answer. “I was just a small child when it happened. My mother was a pureblood who married a muggleborn,” Corbin said evenly. “They,” and Scorpius understood him to mean the Death Eaters, “were after purebloods who dared to taint wizarding lines. We had a visit one night and escaped London with not much more than the clothes we were wearing.”

Tracing a finger over Corbin’s hand, Scorpius told him, “My family was despicable during the war – I’ve always been ashamed-“ 

Corbin cut him off with a shake of his head. “Had my mother been married to anyone else, we would have been, well, she would have not sided with good. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Your grandfather and your father are not you,” he said adamantly. Corbin knew the Malfoy family had a Dark reputation but saw none of that inclination in Scorpius.

It struck Scorpius, as they stood pressed together, that they were both examples of peripheral impacts of a war. He had carried around the guilt of a family whose crimes were renowned while Corbin’s childhood had been interrupted by threats of violence because of his parents’ love. For some reason, knowing that Corbin had experienced firsthand the follies of a pureblood mentality, he felt more at ease with the apparent similarity he showed to Scorpius’ mother. No one who had suffered as he did would truly buy into such a harsh frame of mind.

“Where is the shop you’re working with?” Scorpius asked, breaking the silence that had settled between them.

Craning his neck slightly, Corbin pointed to a place just around the bend from where they were faced. “It’s in that direction but is hidden with the rest of _La Rue de la Magie_.”

Scorpius had read about the small street where the French witches and wizards gathered to do a majority of their shopping. They were going to spend a good portion of the next trip there which sounded like an interesting place to say the least. “Your partners are located there?” Scorpius asked, feeling certain that they would be.

Corbin nodded, “That’s where I’ll be.”

Scorpius pulled back from Corbin for a moment. “You’ll be there?” he asked, feeling a weight drop in his stomach.

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about this…” Corbin paused and took Scorpius’ hand in his. “I’ll be moving to France in a few months and would like it if you came with.” When an immediate answer did not come, Corbin felt an equal measure of relief and letdown. A no would have meant ending their relationship which was the last thing he wanted. “You can think about it, of course,” he added as he gave Scorpius’ hand a squeeze.

“You… you don’t mind that I want to think it over?” Scorpius asked tentatively. He knew Corbin could be sensitive about their relationship and might see hesitance as Scorpius wanting to vet other romantic opportunities.

“This is a life-changing decision. I’d expect that to require some thought. Besides, we have a few months before anything really has to be decided,” Corbin smiled.

Scorpius could feel affection and desire rush through him as he imagined living with Corbin in Paris. Pushing Corbin back slightly, so they were pressed firmly against the tower’s structure, Scorpius swept his lips over Corbin’s chin and up to his lips. He could hear Corbin’s sharp inhale of desire and made to elicit more sounds of pleasure as the wind whipped around the pair. It seemed ridiculous to Scorpius that he had been so preoccupied with Albus not a few weeks back.


	12. Don't You Want Me

Post-vacation bliss was still playing on Scorpius well into the week after his trip to Paris with Corbin. He felt like, for the first time since being on his own, romance was finally falling into place. There was one nagging issue he had to resolve – the declaration of desire from Albus. At their last, quite intimate yet uncomfortable, rendezvous, Scorpius hinted that he could go for a relationship with Albus if there was more commitment behind the offer. However, after considering a life in Paris with Corbin it was impossible for Scorpius to string the possibility of returning to Albus.

After more than a year of working just down the street from Weasley Wizarding Wheezes, Scorpius all but memorized Albus’ start and stop times. It wasn’t that he looked for Albus passing each day but he thought there was some lingering second sight pertaining to exes.

Scorpius set for the shop just down the way about ten minutes before he estimated that Albus would be off work. As usual in the warm weather, there was quite a crowd in the shop. At least in the summer they had extra staff which allowed Albus to leave at a consistent time. Even in the crowd and Albus’ preoccupation with the young girl wanting to try a trick wand, his eyes snapped to the door when Scorpius walked in. It was only a few minutes until Albus extricated himself from customers and made it to where his visitor waited patiently.

Skipping formality, Scorpius asked, “Do you have time for a quick drink after work?”

Albus had dinner plans with Brandon but it seemed important for Scorpius to meet with him that night. “Just enough for a quick pint. Do you want to meet at the Leaky Cauldron?”

“The Leaky Cauldron sounds great. I’ll see you in 15 then,” Scorpius said with a nod.

Leaving the shop, Scorpius could feel Albus’ eyes follow him until he went past the merchandise filled windows. He couldn’t get a read on Albus but hoped the he wasn’t expecting them to have another go at passion. Scorpius decided that it was unlikely for Albus to initiate something like that if he only had time for a quick drink – it had been more than two years since they were a pair that would go for a quick shag away from prying eyes.

Albus strolled into the Leaky Cauldron some ten minutes after Scorpius settled into a table with an infusion of gillyweed and ginger-gin. After ordering a pint of ale from the bar, Albus took a seat next to Scorpius. The uncomfortable realization settle over Albus that the last time they had been together, he had stripped and attempted to seduce the man sitting across from him. It felt like his entire world had changed since that encounter.

“Thanks for meeting me,” Scorpius ventured, not really sure how to tell Albus he’d made up his mind on who he wanted. It occurred to him that he was being presumptuous thinking Albus needed to know he’d done so.

“It’s not a problem,” Albus returned promptly. “How have you been?” he asked in an attempt to spark whatever pressing conversation Scorpius needed to have.

Clinging onto a solid lean in for the topic at hand, Scorpius said, “I just got back from a trip to Paris with Corbin.”

“That sounds exciting,” Albus grinned, imaging how fun it would be to take a romantic vacation.

He wasn’t sure if it would be awkward to ask about Scorpius’ relationship with Corbin but was spared when Scorpius offered, “Corbin asked me to move to Paris with him.”

This was a surprise to Albus. He knew Corbin did business in Paris but hardly thought that they were at a point where cohabitation was necessary. Though, he knew his opinion on the matter could be clouded by his own relationship. “Are you going to do it?” Albus inquired with a raised brow.

Scorpius fidgeted with his glass for a moment, squeezing the garnish for a new infusion of flavor, then answered, “I’m leaning towards it, honestly. I’d have to sell the shop – though I’d likely keep partial interest in it.”

Albus could see this is what Scorpius’ heart was telling him to do by the way his face lit up. “You should give it ago,” he encouraged Scorpius. “Seize the chance at something great before it slips away…” Albus’ voice trailed off as he considered that advice for himself.

Something about Albus’ tone gave Scorpius pause as the uplifting words did not match his rather demure demeanor. Suddenly worried that he abashed Albus’ hopes of a rekindling between them, Scorpius reached out for Albus’ hand to comfort him. “You’re fantastic but I really feel something building between Corbin and me,” he comforted Al. “I wanted you to know that…” Scorpius gulped then continued, “That I’m not looking for us to get together while I’m with Corbin.”

Nothing much had changed from Scorpius’ message a few weeks back where he told Albus that he wanted to give it a go with Corbin but this time he did not leave the opening for Albus to slither back into the fold. “I understand,” Albus reassured Scorpius before taking a long draw from his mug.

It was clear at this point that something was bothering Albus but Scorpius didn’t quite know what. It felt rather unfair for Albus to have expected Scorpius to always reserve room for him in his romantic life. Nonetheless, Scorpius had to check, “Are you alright? You seem a bit down.”

Sighing, Albus gave a bleak smile as he debated talking to Scorpius about his relationship woes. He decided that if Scorpius could level with him, then he could do the same. “I’ve had a bit going on with Brandon…” he started quietly. “I want to be with him but that also means committing to his daughter. She’s just a baby – quite adorable too – but I don’t want to make _her_ life confusing if Brandon and I don’t work out.”

Scorpius tried to imagine Albus as a father and it was a slight stretch of the imagination. Though, he was never around Albus and the very large family he grew up with. “It seems like a tough decision, Al,” Scorpius agreed. “I’d also hate for _you_ to miss out on the chance at a great relationship.”

“The good bit is that I’m getting more comfortable with the idea the more I dwell on it,” Albus smiled. Looking at his watch, he added, “I do have to go or I’ll be late for dinner.”

The two young men parted ways both feeling that they had crossed a bridge of sorts. Neither felt jealous of the other’s relationship nor were they vying to retread their old romance while precariously enter a new one.

\---

Albus walked towards Brandon’s flat with his mind comfortably contemplating the discussion he wanted to have with Brandon. He’d been indecisive long enough but he felt a clear way forward now. Deciding not to knock, as he was expected for dinner, Albus opened the door with gusto. Much to Al’s surprise, it was not Brandon who was turning to check the door – it was his mom.

“Oh,” Al started with a blush creeping up his neck. “Hi, Mrs. Savage.”

They’d only met twice before this and hadn’t talked very much. Brandon’s mom was usually leaving just when Albus showed up to see Brandon for the evening. “Albus how are you?” she smiled. “You really can call me Beatrice,” she added.

“Right,” Albus returned her smile, then said rather formally, “Beatrice. I’m great, actually.” Before she returned the formality, they were interrupted by Brandon’s voice belting out of the bathroom. It wasn’t quite a melodic version of _Wizards in the River_ but it was rather enthusiastic.

Beatrice started to grin, then laugh as did Albus. “He might be laboring under the impression that bathrooms are soundproof,” she joked with a fond smile on her face. “I hope you’re not dating him for his singing voice.”

A sharp laugh burst out of Al as he shook his head. The first response that popped into his head about his reason for dating Brandon was quite inappropriate to share with his mother. What he said instead was just as truthful as the lustful thoughts he initially dismissed. “He’s an incredible bloke – singing in the shower aside – and I’m fortunate to know him.”

Tucking a tendril of hair behind her ear, Beatrice looked rather stunned by Albus’ frank answer. “I’m going to say goodbye to Cora. I’d stay for dinner but I’m meeting some friends for bingo,” she told Albus, disappearing into the sitting room.

Cora’s babbling could be heard from around the corner, causing Albus to smile. “Has she had dinner yet?” he called, opening the cupboard to get formula.

“Not yet, dear,” came Beatrice’s voice. She returned to the kitchen with the grin of a grandmother who had just had a baby-fix. “I’ve left her in the pin so she should be happy for a little bit. Have a good night,” she said kindly.

“You too, Beatrice,” Al said, finally able to call Beatrice by her name without sounding terribly formal. “I’ll be seeing you.”

Pausing at the door, Beatrice smiled as she caught a nuance from the young wizard. Previously he would say it had been nice to see her – this was the first time he indicated there would be a definite next meeting. The thought warmed her as she knew Brandon wanted the other man’s affection.

Albus busied himself making a bottle for Cora while he listened to her quiet jabbering and giggling. It was a sudden crash and cry that caused Al to drop the almost full bottle he had in hand and run into the sitting room. Cora had managed to knock over a wall to her baby pin and crashed into the end table.

Her shrieking cries were almost terrifying for Albus but he bent down to pick her up. It was then that he saw the blood. Feeling his heart drop to somewhere south of his stomach, Albus hoisted Cora into his arms and pelted into the bathroom.

“Brandon,” Albus yelled, as the steam from the shower hit him in the face, taking a bit of breath from his lungs. Cora’s cries were still loud and reverberated off the tile walls.

“What is it?” came Brandon’s panicked voice from the shower along with the sound of water being shut off.

Tears were blurring Albus’ eyes as he fought for the right words. “Cora’s hand – she’s cut it on something. I was making her a bottle and-“ To Albus’ shock, Brandon started to laugh. “Are you mad?” Albus asked, holding Cora slightly tighter. “Your daughter is hurt and you’re _laughing_?”

Tucking a towel around his waist, Brandon said, “She’s not hurt, Albus, and you’re probably scaring her.”

Albus squinted at Cora’s hand and saw some of what he thought was blood was dissipating in the balmy room. “What is that?” he asked with a scowl.

“Mum told me that Cora got into some Jell-O mix she was using. It stains the skin,” he explained with a suppressed smile.

Not wanting to acknowledge his overreaction, Albus asked, “You let your mum feed her Jell-O?” with a laugh. He rubbed the dark red area of Cora’s palm and saw it smearing. Cora was still fussing but she had stopped her shrieking cry. “You’re okay,” Albus assured her in a quiet voice. Glancing at Brandon, who was wearing a satisfied smile, Albus added, “Let’s leave your Pa alone.”

While Brandon teased Albus about his mistaking a Jell-O stain for a severe injury all through dinner, it was heartening that he had been so concerned about Cora’s wellbeing. Albus had showed interest in and concern for Cora but it had been quite reserved before that incident. Where Albus seemed to glow with some secret excitement that evening, Brandon was trying to mask a pit of guilt in his stomach. Brandon knew he wouldn’t be able to keep a secret like having kissed Rose from Albus – the remorse would eat at him until he came clean.

Once Cora was sleeping in her crib, Brandon thought it was as good of a time as any to clear his conscious. It was a surprise when it was Albus who piped up with, “There’s something I want to talk to you about,” when they were comfortable resting on the futon.

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something too,” Brandon responded as his heart started to beat uncomfortably fast.

Albus looked nervous after Brandon’s response but still said, “You go first,” as worried there was some unknown issue between them.

They were mere inches apart but Brandon turned so that he was full-on facing Albus. “I need to ask you to hear me out about something and wait until I’m done to react,” he requested in a solemn voice. Despite the panic working its way through Al’s system, he nodded.

His mind had been on Brandon breaking up with him, so when he heard that Brandon had kissed Rose (though the initial kissing seemed to have been Rose’s idea), Albus felt as if he’d been hit by a lead bludger. The remorse on Brandon’s face made it clear that this had been an unanticipated turn of events but that did not stop Albus from feeling the sting of betrayal. Though, if he were honest with himself, Brandon wasn’t the only one who had committed an indiscretion since their reconciliation.

“I’ll understand if you need to rethink-“ Brandon’s voice cracked under the weight of the words he was trying to say. “Us,” he finally breathed.

His head hung low, Albus shook his head slowly. “I need to be honest with you too,” he nearly mumbled. Brandon’s guilt-filled eyes flashed with sudden curiosity. “When…” Albus considered how to word this appropriately then continued, “When I thought you stood me up, I spent the weekend with Scorpius.” Brandon looked like he was about to comfort him when Albus shook his head, saying, “I should have checked on you instead of going on a selfish rampage.” Albus considered telling him about Derrick kissing him at the party a few weeks back but that had been such an incidental occurrence with no emotional weight behind it.

Neither of them had more hurtful wrongs to confess so they sat in silence for a few moment until Albus leaned into Brandon saying, “I’m so sorry – I’ve been selfish and…”

Brandon shook his head with an emphatic, “Neither of us are perfect. I trust you and I want you to trust me as well”

“I…” Albus tried to push aside the anger he felt towards Rose and focus on the incredible man next to him. “I've never trusted anyone more than I trust you.” It felt as if a hot volcano were about to erupt in Albus’ stomach as the words he had been meaning to say began to pour out of his mouth. “I love you, Brandon.”

Albus hadn’t been sure what response he’d get to those words, but he had been overwhelmingly certain that they were long overdue. Brandon’s lips crashing onto his followed by, “I love you too, Albus,” was better than any reply he had imagined.

It required all of Albus’ to pull back from Brandon’s passionate kiss. “I said before that I needed time,” Al breathed with his eyes on Brandon’s delicious lips. “I know now that I don’t want anyone else. I want to be there for you – and Cora – but I’m not ready to live together.”

“I was rash suggesting that,” Brandon admitted, kissing Albus’ forehead. “We shouldn’t rush into more than we’re ready for…but I am ready for love,” he finished with a coquettish smile.

Pulling Brandon close to him, Albus whispered, “So am I,” and kissed him eagerly with a hand planted gently in Brandon’s hair.

Imaging life without the Auror whose affection and love he needed like oxygen caused a fleeting moment of relief and then worry washed over Albus. “It was foolish of me to take you for granted,” Albus muttered, his throat parched. Brandon’s brow furrowed and he opened his mouth to speak but Al shook his head. “I just needed to say that.”

A new blush crept onto Bran’s face on top the color passion had left there already. At a loss for words, he engulfed Albus in a hard kiss, as if his feelings would become evident through their mouths moving together. While Brandon’s lips were familiar to Albus they felt new under the declaration of love. Each touch from one man sent the other into new levels of pleasure.

Before either of them knew it their shirts were discarded hastily on the floor and Albus was moaning under Brandon’s weight as he ran a hand down Al’s torso, eliciting a gasp along the way.

“I want you,” Brandon whispered.

“And do you think I’m waiting here for Chinese carryout?” Albus groaned with an impatient thrust up into Brandon’s torso.

“Such cheek,” Brandon laughed with a mischievous grin before tugging impatiently at Albus’ belt like he was about to unwrap his Christmas present. It was one of the nights where time might have been standing still for the two lovers as they delighted in each other and their love.

\---

Rose tapped her foot impatiently as she waited in a restaurant lobby for Lily. They were supposed to meet at noon and it was a quarter after. While Rose didn’t have an office to return to, she didn’t appreciate her cousin’s tardiness. Lily had been the one to ask Rose out to lunch – wanting to hear about her first professional trip to Spain. It was hard to pick out the details she wanted to share as there were so many interesting moments from the trip.

Lily showed up with tousled hair and a mischievous grin on her face. “So sorry, Rose,” she breathed as if she’d run to the restaurant from a distance. “I was caught up in a meeting.”

This statement was at best dubious which caused Rose to raise her eyebrows at Lily. “I wouldn’t have minded the Ministry if I had meetings like that,” she teased as they were showed a table.

Flattening her hair a bit, Lily blushed just slightly. “Archie had a few minutes and I was on my way here – we just got distracted,” Lily explained matter-of-factly.

“All is well with Archibald?” Rose asked as she looked down the menu.

“Well doesn’t begin to cover it,” Lily said with a wink. “I can tell you about him later, I want to hear about Spain.”

Thankful for a brief interruption as the waiter took their orders, Rose decided to start with, “Going with clients is much different than I thought. They were great but I learned quite a bit.”

Her smile suddenly wide, as if expecting this to lead to juicy information, Lily asked, “What exactly did you learn?”

Rose’s coy smile told Lily that it would indeed be interesting information. Deciding that her debacle with Henrik could be passed over, she jumped to the good snog she enjoyed on her last night. “Well, Spanish bartenders aren’t too shabby for a goodnight kiss,” she said, enjoying the way Lily’s eyes widened.

“Was that the _only_ highlight?” she giggled with a suggestive look on her face.

“Oh please, I was there on business – not some kissing festival,” Rose scoffed. “I showed a family around to important magical sites and gave them in-depth background on our various tours,” she told Lily with pride.

“Speaking of exciting career news – I’ve been given my very first article!” Lily squealed as if she’d just received the news for the first time.

Raising her first in the air, as if punching the sky, Rose congratulated her cousin. “That’s great news. What is the scoop? Or can you share it?”

Lily rolled her eyes at the question but said, “I’m not an auror on a top-secret case, twit. It’s just a piece about a retiring Ministry employee – mostly biographical.”

Crinkling her nose, Rose remembered some of the _biographical_ pieces the Prophet did on the family. They had quieted in the last five years but they would still publish the odd Potter-related scandal. “Does it feel weird to work with the same people who wrote such gaudy stories about Uncle Harry?” Rose asked with her face still contorted in a partial scowl.

Shrugging, Lily confessed, “It is sometimes. I don’t talk about the family very much at work because they might turn a casual comment into some huge story.”

“That’s just a danger of being a journalist,” Rose commented, not sure if there would be a remedy to Lily’s professional dilemma.

“Just like snogging cute bartenders is part of yours,” Lily shot back grinning.

“I’m so glad the Prophet has your wit at its disposal,” Rose taunted. They were always in a tit-for-tat game which was usually quite light-hearted but kept both of the girls on their toes.

“Will you plan my honeymoon if Archie and I get married?” Lily asked in a rather shy voice.

Rose choked on her tea and coughed loudly. “Honeymoon? You just started dating!” she managed after the coughs subsided.

“I know that,” Lily insisted. “He’s just _wonderful_.”

The dreamy look on Lily’s face made Rose want to gag. “What has he done that’s so wonderful?” she asked tentatively, wondering if she’d be treated to a detailed retelling of the pre-lunch meeting they had.

“We had the most romantic date where he said he loves me and last weekend he gave me a beautiful necklace,” Lily said with a happy glow about her which made Rose both happy for her cousin and jealous of her at the same time.

She debated for a few moments complaining about her lack of a love life. Sure, there were some good kisses – and one not so well appreciated kiss – but Rose could imagine what Lily would have to say if she knew about her crush on Brandon. She could picture Lily’s face turn to an expression of rage and disgust as words like _fool, slag,_ and _meddler_ were spewed across the table. No, it would be best to avoid her thoughts on Brandon. Instead, Rose said, “He does sound delightful.”


	13. Hold Tight

What had started out as their weekly brunch with Lily’s boyfriend had turned into all of their children bringing a significant other over to spend the morning with the family. Apart from knowing Brandon and his daughter Cora, Harry and Ginny hadn’t met Archibald and were only vaguely aware of meeting Cindy on Platform 9 3/4. Their dining room would be crowded, especially considering that they’d need a highchair.

Harry and Ginny had spent the morning preparing the rather large meal. Magic helped make the process not as onerous as it would be by hand but there’s not side-stepping the fact that it is quite a bit of work to feed eight adults.

“I don’t know how Mum did it with us kids – or how she still does it for the holidays,” Ginny mused while she and Harry set about their tasks. Throughout their marriage, Harry had at least proved himself equal to helping Ginny with household chores and doing his fair share of cooking.

Feeling the heat of the stove beat on his face, Harry shook his head. “I don’t know how we managed feeding three.”

Ginny slipped her arms around Harry and grinned as she kissed his shoulder. “It was worth it,” she whispered.

James’ voice shot out, as it had done many times when he still lived at home, with a loud, “Mum, Dad, can’t you hold it in while we’re home? We have guests even.”

Giving Harry a slight pinch on his stomach, Ginny let go of her husband and turned to greet their eldest son and his girlfriend, who was nervously holding his hand. “James, why don’t you introduce-“

“Oh yeah, Mum, this is Cindy. And Cin, I’d like you to meet Ginny and Harry – my parents,” James rambled off with a blush creeping down his neck.

Cindy had been introduced to the Potters before when she and Albus were getting off the train together. That had been a rather informal situation whereas she felt quite in the spotlight with Ginny’s eyes drinking in her appearance. Harry was still busy with food at the stove but glanced over his shoulder to say, “Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

The front door opened and Albus’ voice could be heard calling, “Mum, Dad, we’re here.” Ginny couldn’t help but smirk at the fact that Albus at least knew how to properly announce when he was storming in the house, unlike James who would inadvertently sneak up on people.

“We’re in the dining room,” Ginny called before returning her attention to Cindy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you again.”

It was a relief for Cindy to see two familiar faces walk in. “Cindy!” Albus said with a wide smile and offering her a hug. “You remember, Brandon, right?”

“Of course,” Cindy chirped. “Nice to see you – and this must be Cora. James told me all about her.”

Albus and James exchanged the briefest of looks before Al asked, “Is Lily upstairs?” He hated to think she’d be so brazen as to hole up with her boyfriend before Sunday brunch.

“No,” Ginny said rather tersely. “She’s not here yet.” It was the glance she made at their dad that told Albus and James that Lily having a boyfriend was still sinking in.

“Well, if she’s late I’m eating her share of the bacon,” James decided as he pulled out plates to start setting the table.

“You’ll do no such thing, James Sirius Potter,” came Lily’s voice from the sitting room where their fireplace was located. They could hear Lily, and presumably her boyfriend, perform cleaning spells to remove soot from their clothes before the pair made an appearance.

“Mum! Dad!” Lily called out as if it had been more than an evening since she saw her parents. “I’d like to introduce you to Archibald Boot.”

James could tell Albus was holding in a grin at both Archie’s name and the way their dad’s stiff face as he turned to face Archie. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Potter,” Archie said with his hand extended to Ginny, which she shook cordially. “And Mr. Potter,” he continued with his right hand proffered to the intimidating father in front of him.

Harry shook Archie’s hand with a firm grip and said, “Lily has told all about you of course.” When Harry let go of Archie’s hand he glanced around at the room full of people and announced, “Breakfast is ready – I hope everyone is hungry.”

Albus and Brandon found seats next to a highchair – one that was probably taken out from the attic for their visit – and set Cora up in the chair. Cora wasn’t used to being put in chairs like this so she was slightly fussy as Brandon got her in place. Cindy and James settled to the left of Albus with their mum and dad at the other end of the table. Lily and Archie were the last to find seats and ended up with Lily next to Harry and Archie next to Brandon.

Soon the room was filled with the sound of dishes being passed, cups being filled with juice, and finally the silence of eating settled over the group. Harry started to ask Archie questions about his work at the Ministry, which started a general buzz of conversation.

“I sent a few aurors with a team from your department not a few weeks back,” Harry commented as he cut into his French toast. “Wasn’t there a case about Devil’s Snare?”

Archie nodded, his mouth too full of food to talk. With a pained expression, he swallowed and answered, “Yes, sir. Peterson helped us apprehend the grower. Though, we’ve managed to capture a few crooks on our own.”

“If I recall correctly,” Harry said with his eyes narrowed to recollect far off information, “There were two blokes from your department put in St. Mungo’s with injuries.”

“But Archie was the one who caught the guy,” Lily beamed with the same look of adoration Harry recalled getting when she was a child.

Ginny could see that her husband was going through an internal struggle at seeing their daughter look at a man with such admiration and decided it would be best to change the subject. “Cindy – what is it you do now that you’re out of Hogwarts?”

Cindy, who was much more at ease around Harry and Ginny, started with, “I’ve been at the Magical Accidents and Catastrophes department and have just started going out on calls.”

Brandon raised his eyebrows at this and said with a smile, “You’ve moved up quite fast, Cindy. A bloke I graduated with was there for four or so years before he was sent out in the field.”

“Is that Johnston?” she asked with her nose crinkled. When Brandon nodded, she blushed and said in a quiet tone, “He took a while to get the hang of oblivating people.” She gave an apologetic look at these words and took a sip of orange juice.

Letting out a laugh, Brandon assured her, “He was horrible at charms at school. I was surprised he picked that department, to be honest.” Cindy perked up at hearing that she hadn’t disparaged her coworker unfairly.

James gave Cindy’s hand a squeeze under the table before adding, “Cindy is also remarkable when it comes to charms – they’d be complete berks to not have her in the field.”

“Dad, weren’t you saying it’s one of the more difficult departments to get into?” Albus asked, liking the opportunity to let Cindy shine in front of his parents.

Harry took a moment to think this over – he disliked sharing opinions in front of new people, though he only _really_ considered Archie new. “That all depends on what a person is skilled at already. Magical Accidents and Catastrophes does require many specialties and high N.E.W.T. scores,” Harry conceded.

Cora, who had been amusing herself with a bit of banana Brandon gave her started to fuss. “I’ll get her, Bran,” Albus said, already reaching towards the highchair. “I’m going to get the banana off her face,” he decided as he picked Cora up and left the dining room.

Brandon watched Albus leave with Cora with a smile playing on his face. Knowing that Albus was a bit lost when it came to taking care of a baby made it even more endearing when he jumped in to help as often as he did. No one spoke for a few minutes as they were tucked into their meals still. Deciding that he could use more breakfast on his plate, Brandon put a hand on Archie’s shoulder and asked, “Could you pass me some sausage?”

Archie’s face turned red and he looked on the verge or retorted when Lily pushed a plate into his hands. He glanced down at the plate, then turned a deeper shade of red and said, “Here.” It looked like Brandon was about to laugh but instead he thanked Archie and offered the plate to Cindy.

“How have you been adjusting to Cora?” Ginny asked with her eyes on Brandon.

Brandon smiled languidly then answered, “I’ve been sleeping less and washing clothes more,” which caused Ginny and Harry to both laugh. “It can be overwhelming at times but it’s easier every day,” he added with a serious tone. “Albus has been helpful.”

“Except when I mistake Jell-O stains for injuries,” Albus said carrying a slightly damp Cora into the dining room. “She got carried away in the faucet,” he explained as he noticed the eyes fixed on Cora’s wet face.

Ginny stood up and reached for Cora. “Let me see her,” she sighed exasperatedly, taking her wand out. With a quick wave of her wand, Cora was dried off. When Albus held his arms out to take her back, Ginny told him, “I’ll hold her for a bit.” She sat with Cora cradled in her arms and said, “Nana would like you two to visit, Al.”

Harry couldn’t hold back the laugh that came out as he added, “You know how she gets around babies.”

Much to his displeasure, Lily nudged Archie and whispered, “Maybe we should get started on one.”

Everyone at the table, except Lily, could see Harry grimace at these words. Brandon was the hero who piped up with, “Albus, we could stop by tomorrow afternoon if your grandparents are free.”

Managing to pull out of the stupor caused by Lily’s suggestive remark, Harry said, “I think they’d really like that,” with a rather forced smile on his face.

\---

Astoria paced the foyer at Malfoy Manor and kept glancing at the heirloom grandfather clock to check how close it was to six. She had told Draco that they were hosting important guests that evening. As he was used to welcoming a variety of pureblood families into their home without more than a few hours’ notice, Draco didn’t inquire about the identity of their guests. He assumed it was a friend of Astoria’s from school, in town for the weekend.

“You had Kal make a nice dinner,” Draco commented as he came down the stairs towards their sitting room. Their house elf was cooking up enough food that the smells made their way up to the bedrooms.

“Something nice for a change,” Astoria told him sweetly. “She’s also serving your favorite brandy after dinner.”

The extravagant dinner and nice liquor put Draco on alert that Astoria was perhaps planning something more than dinner with some friends. He decided not to probe about her intentions and let the night unfold as it would. Draco was reading the _Evening Prophet_ when he heard Astoria greeting their guests in the foyer. He was almost certain, based on the excited tone of his wife’s voice, that it was indeed one of her annoying school friends. Much to Draco’s surprise he saw the very blond head of his son and a man who he did not know.

Conflict rose in Draco as he watched his son hugging Astoria. He missed Scorpius enough that it caused a dull ache in his stomach but it would be the height of dishonor to go back on what he said about Scorpius not being welcome at home – even if the words had been rash and said in temper. He made a movement towards Astoria and Scorpius, deciding he could at least be courteous for the evening, when Scorpius bounded towards his father and pulled him into a hug.

“Father,” Scorpius smiled as he gave Draco a tight hug. Once he let go, Scorpius turned towards his teary-eyed mother and Corbin to say, “I’d like you to meet Corbin Norton, my boyfriend.”

Draco had assumed this man to be Scorpius’ boyfriend but it was still a strange fact to him – that his son loved men. Not one to be rude in a social situation, Draco extended a hand to Corbin. “I’m Draco,” he told the man as they shook hands.

Astoria looked as if she were going to burst with joy. “Let us adjourn to the dining room,” she trilled with a content look on her face. It had been Corbin’s idea for her to invite them over for dinner and not tell her husband. Astoria liked that Scorpius’ boyfriend wanted him to reconcile to the family and was willing to put himself out there to make it happen. Scorpius was under the impression that his father was aware and welcoming of their invitation to dinner but Astoria was willing to risk the lie if it meant having the family together.

Dinner was an impressive affair and reminded Scorpius how much nicer food was when someone else prepared a meal but it still counted as home-cooked. Though, it was hard for Scorpius to ignore how much of their meal would go to waste. He had fallen out of touch with extravagance and excess since living on his own.

Deciding that he might as well make use of the time with his son, Draco broached conversation with, “I hear that your potions shop is doing very well.”

Scorpius smiled contentedly – not only at the fact that his business _was_ doing well but that his father had sought that information out. “I have a steady flow of clientele and make a comfortable profit,” he conceded before adding. “Corbin is starting quite the intriguing book business in Paris.”

 Corbin took this as his cue to pipe up. “Well, I hope it will prove intriguing,” he said modestly. “I’m introducing a new line of books which contain mild aphrodisiacs to keep the attention of the readers.”

Draco furrowed his brow then asked, “Is that entirely legal?”

“Draco!” Astoria sputtered as if he’d just spat on a guest. “Of course it’s legal,” she said indignantly.

Not wanting his hosts to argue on his behalf, Corbin supplied, “It’s not against the law as long as we put a notice in the book.”

“Very cunning,” Draco commented as he reassessed Corbin. He had assumed that any man his son dated would be a leech on society but Corbin seemed to at least have his wits about him. “How will you manage this business from London?”

They exchanged glances for the briefest moments before Corbin said, “I’ll be moving there in a few months and I’ve-” He hesitated a moment, not sure if Scorpius wanted his parents to know this, then went on, “I’ve asked Scorpius to move there with me.”

“We’re still working that out though,” Scorpius added quickly. “I’m not sure if it’s the right time for me to sell the shop and it’d be so difficult to find someone to run it in my stead.”

Astoria beamed at her son and said, “Living in Paris is _wonderful_ though. You would really love it there.”

Draco sniffed slightly before he added, “You’re better suited to managing a shop rather than acting as its clerk and proprietor.”

“I would open a shop in Paris if I were to move,” Scorpius told them. Looking down at his plate, he added, “And I like running my shop.”

It was difficult for Draco to understand his son’s predilections. He had accepted years ago that Scorpius would never like women, although he’d tried his best to get him to see the wisdom in having a family, and even got used to his son’s desire to run out on his own instead of staying in the family home. Draco could not wrap his mind around why Scorpius would want to run a shop like some common, poor wizard. “I suppose we all have to keep busy,” he said tersely. It was at least some comfort that no matter how base his son’s ambitions, he was at least able to provide for himself.

Sensing tension brewing in her husband, Astoria called out brightly, “We’re ready for dessert,” to their house elf who came bustling out of the kitchen. “We’re having your favorite – Manchester tart.”

After dessert, it surprised everyone, especially Astoria, when Draco asked Scorpius and Corbin to stay over. “You can both stay in Scorpius’ room,” he told them. “It’s much too late to try apparating and you could show Corbin around the manor.”

While it wasn’t exactly convenient for either of them to stay, Scorpius decided to take advantage of his father’s acceptance and hospitality. “That would be quite nice, Father.”

Once his parents bade them goodnight, after enjoying after-dinner drinks and conversation, Scorpius took Corbin by the hand saying, “I’ll give you the knut tour.”

As they emerged from the sitting room where they had drinks with Draco and Astoria, Scorpius glanced around the large foyer. Despite growing up in Malfoy Manor, it never felt like a home to him. He showed Corbin around the main floor – the library, the larger dining room they used at lavish parties, and the kitchen which his parents rarely entered – but stopped at the doorway to the cellar. Steeling himself, Scorpius opened the door and descended the staircase with Corbin following closely behind him.

“What is this room?” Corbin asked in a low voice despite their complete solitude.

“It’s…” Scorpius paused as he thought back to the last time he showed a guest his sanctuary from the unfriendly home he grew up in. “It’s a cellar,” he finally said. “I used to come down here to be alone.”

Corbin raised his eyebrows before asking, “The entire manor must have been lonely most of the time.”

Scorpius nodded, then added, “It is a lonely place but down here I felt there was less formality trying to engulf my every move.” Running his hand up from Corbin’s hand to his shoulder, he said, “Where I can love who I want to love.”

The words had slipped out without thought but they carried a very real meaning for Scorpius. He could see happiness wash over Corbin’s face in the flickering light of the room. The force of Corbin’s kiss caused the two of them to stumble backwards a few paces and bump against the wall. Scorpius found his hand pinned to the wall as Corbin’s lips explored his neck. “Love. You. So. Much,” Corbin managed between each kiss to Scorpius’ décolletage.

\---

The August sun was bright in the sky as it sat low in the sky above the Burrow. Molly busied herself gathering fresh flowers from the garden to put on the table. Since her kids left home, she had repurposed much of the large garden to grow flowers, fruit, and other plant life often not essential for feeding a large family. The flowers were her favorite addition as they put a touch of color and brightness even on the darkest days.

Molly was excited to have Albus and his partner over for dinner. She’d been wanting to meet the little baby that came into their life since Ginny told her about the child’s existence. It had been five years since her last great grandchild was born and she needed another baby to dote on.

Looking out the kitchen window, Molly could see Albus walking towards the house with a baby in his arms and a tall, handsome man by his side. “Arthur, they’re here,” Molly called out. She could hear Arthur’s snores interrupted with a sharp inhale and smiled to herself.

“Nana, Grandad,” Albus greeted from the doorway. “We’re here.”

Ushering them in, Molly gave each of them a hug before scooping Cora out of Albus’ arms. “Brandon she looks just like you,” Molly beamed as she looked from Cora to Brandon. “And if you mess her hair up right she looks a bit like Albus too.”

Arthur entered the room with his glasses slightly askew. “Albus, Brad – er – Brandon,” he greeted with a sheepish smile at mistaking Brandon’s name. “I hope you’ve come hungry; Molly has been cooking up a storm.”

“Oh no I haven’t, Arthur,” Molly insisted with a casual wave of her hand. “I just put together a little meal,” she smiled at her grandson.

Albus knew better than to think his Nana cooked anything less than a meal that could feed half of Slytherin house. Noticing the fresh flowers, Albus asked, “Are those from the garden?” He knew his Nana’s love of gardening and liked to let her talk about it when they were together.

“It’s snapdragon and lily,” she smiled with a glance at the arrangement. “I have a new charm that’s supposed to keep them in bloom a bit longer,” she added, not quite paying attention to the other adults as she preferred to keep smiling and cooing at Cora.

When Cora started to cry, Brandon reached for his daughter saying, “She’s probably due for a change.”

Molly patted her diaper and nodded. “I’ll get it, dear. I’ve done enough of these to change one in my sleep,” she offered, reaching for the bag by the door.

“You may have done a few in your sleep, Molly,” Arthur smiled fondly. “With,” he paused before saying ‘the twins’ as his wife was still often sad about their son’s death. “So many kids at once we were in diapers for a solid five years.”

“Diapers for one is enough for me,” Brandon laughed heartily.

Arthur looked from his grandson to Brandon then recalled an items of interest he wanted to talk about with the auror. “Albus told me you know a bit about muggles,” he said with an eager grin.

Brandon glanced at Albus who was suppressing a smirk. “I know a bit about them. My mum’s muggleborn.”

“Lovely!” Arthur exclaimed. “I’ll have to show you my shed after dinner.”

Luckily for Brandon, he had heard many stories about Arthur’s shed of muggle treasures and was not left wondering what he had in store for him after their meal. “I look forward to that,” Brandon chuckled.

Once Molly was back with a relieved Cora, they sat down to eat. Their dinner was delicious and left Albus more than satisfied. They were all sitting in a comfortable silence as after all their plates had been cleaned when Arthur suggested that he and Brandon get to the shed before it got too late. “I’m trying to understand what the telly does,” he explained as they exited into the darkening yard.

“Let’s move into the sitting room so Cora can sit on the floor,” Molly suggested.

It wasn’t a surprise to Albus that Nana had a few baby toys out on the floor. “I think she’ll start crawling soon,” Albus commented as he kept an eye on Cora. “Isn’t that when they get a bit difficult to handle?” he asked with a slight wince on his face.

“And they stay that way for almost two decades,” Molly advised her grandson. She smiled at the fondness with which Albus was watching Cora. “You and Brandon seem quite happy together,” she commented with a knowing smile.

Albus blushed and smiled shyly. “He’s really amazing.” He paused for a few minutes then said, “He’s looking for a bigger place now that he has Cora.”

A voice from the kitchen met their ears as Rose called, “Nana?”

Molly stood up and headed towards the other room. “Rose, I’m so glad you could make it. Do you want supper? There’s plenty leftover.” Albus stayed in the sitting room with Cora, a frown playing on his face at the sudden appearance of his cousin. 

“That’s alright, Nana,” Rose said looking around the kitchen. “Is someone else over?” she asked.

“Albus and Brandon brought Cora over,” Molly told her.

A bit of color left Rose’s face. She had stopped by to show her grandparents a few photos from her trip to Spain and did not expect to run into the one person in her family she did not want to see at the moment. “I don’t want to intrude,” Rose started but was cut off by Molly.

“Nonsense, sweat heart,” Molly said warmly. “Let me go fetch Grandad for you – he wants to see your photos as well. Albus and Cora are in the sitting room,” she said before leaving to cross the yard.

Rose swallowed hard as she turned to enter the small sitting room where Albus was playing with Cora. Taking a seat on the armchair their granddad usually occupied, Rose tried to greet Albus as casually as she could. “It’s great to see you, Al,” she beamed.

“Cut the crap, Rose,” Al said coolly. “Brandon told me about your stunt.”

The words hit Rose like a ton of bricks. She didn’t expect Albus to know about that… about her blunder. “Albus it wasn’t what you think – I made a mistake,” Rose entreated with her cousin. “I’m sorry, it just-“

“Happened,” Al offered. “At least with Scorpius you didn’t know we were involved.”

On the verge of tears, Rose glared at Albus. “It’s all well and good now that you’ve finally rooted with him but I couldn’t just stand back as you messed about behind his back,” she shot at Al.

“I wasn’t messing about at the party and you bloody well know it,” Albus seethed. He seemed to catch some composure before continuing with, “It’s behind Brandon and me so… I really don’t want it to create conflict between us.”

It was obvious to Rose that Albus was saying this so that he could bury the hatchet and forget about this as soon as possible, which she was keen to do as well. “Fine. It’s behind us,” she agreed with a low voice. They could hear footsteps approaching and were soon joined by their grandparents and Brandon.

“Evening, Rose,” Brandon smiled as he took a seat next to Albus. Both Rose and Al were amazed by Brandon’s ability to act like nothing had happened between him and the red-haired woman across the room. It hit both of them that – to Brandon – nothing had happened. This thought had opposite effects on each of them as it raised Albus’ spirits and crushed Rose’s hopes.


	14. There Goes the Fear

It was a perfect afternoon for quidditch viewing and playing with Albus, Brandon, and Cindy at a match between the Wanderers and the Wasps. Beatrice was watching Cora so that they could enjoy themselves without carrying several bags of baby gear or worrying about the loud game upsetting her sleep. Their seats gave a good view of the pitch as they were situated between both goals and could easily spot James zipping around with the quaffle.

“Does your family come out to watch him often?” Cindy asked as she looked at the crowd in the stands.

“Not to every match but we try to make the big ones,” Albus told her as he also looked around. Spotting a familiar face, Albus waved to the Scamanders who were a few rows back.

Minutes later, Albus was pulled into a hug and nearly blinded by the white hair of Luna Scamander. “Hello, Albus,” she greeted him kindly.

Luna, Rolf, Lorcan, and Lysander were now standing in the row behind Albus. “It’s so nice to see you,” Albus grinned at his dad’s longtime friend. “I’d like you to meet Brandon Savage and Cindy Bletchley – my boyfriend and friend.”

Shaking their hands, Luna introduced them to her family. “You’re quite worried,” she said to Cindy who looked taken aback by this pronouncement.

“It’s a dangerous game,” Cindy conceded, not sure what to make of Luna quite yet.

“Especially with so many wrackspurts out today,” Luna agreed with a glance to a point just over Cindy’s head. “They love the nice weather but can cause distraction.”

“Mum,” Lorcan huffed, “She doesn’t want to hear about wrackspurts.”

Rolf gave his son a sideways glance before saying, “Lorcan, your mother is passing on important information to Albus’ friend.”

Cindy recognized Lorcan and Lysander from school as they were two years back from her, although in Ravenclaw. Being twins and friends of Albus’ brought them to Cindy’s attention during her years at school. She smiled sweetly and asked, “You both just finished seventh year, correct?”

Lysander nodded but it was Lorcan who replied, “Seventh and final year.”

“What are your plans now that you’re out of school?” Brandon asked, entering the conversation.

“Lysander is interested in magical vegetation and I’d like to study law,” Lorcan supplied.

“Lily’s boyfriend works with magical vegetation,” Albus told them. “Though, he’s more in the law enforcement side of it rather than theory and study.”

Speaking up for the first time, Lysander clarified, “Lily has a boyfriend?”

Albus was tempted to laugh but held it in – he knew for some time that Lysander harbored a crush on his sister. While he didn’t understand Lysander’s taste in women, he did know what it was like to like someone who saw him as a friend. “Yup and she brought him home to meet Mum and Dad last week. It’s a shock to all of us,” he said with a grin. “It was even more surprising when James managed to catch Cindy’s eye,” Albus added.

“Albus,” Cindy said, giving him a sharp jab with her elbow. The crowd cheered, causing Cindy to whip around and look for James. “He scored!” she shouted with her hands clapping together.

Brandon and Albus clapped with the rest of the crowd as they listened to the announcer call out “Excellent move by James Potter, bringing the score to 10-0, Wanderers.”

They were soon pulled back into a conversation when Lysander asked, in a barely audible voice, “Is Lily still working for the _Prophet_? I haven’t seen her name on any stories.”

It was easy for Albus to imagine Lysander taking the newspaper every day in the hopes of seeing his sister’s name in print. It was a sweet devotion he showed towards her. “They don’t have her running stories yet,” Albus told him. “Though, she mentioned doing one that will be in print soon.”

A loud intake from the audience, and the announcer yelling, “That bludger is headed _straight_ for Potter,” caused Albus to pay attention to the match. He could see Cindy was white with fear as her eyes followed the ball speeding towards her boyfriend.

James was determinedly racing towards the goals but was hit hard on the back of his head. With a scream of “James!” it looked like Cindy was about to fling herself out of their booth in an attempt to get towards the unconscious quidditch player as he still zoomed ahead on his broom.

It was fortunate that he did not fall of his broom but James slammed sideways into one of the metal goals and drifted towards the ground. “A time out has been called while medi-wizards attend to Potter,” the announcer’s voice rang through the field. Cindy and Albus pelted from their place in the stands down to the field leaving Brandon and the Scamanders behind.

For Albus, it wasn’t the first time he’d seen James get hurt on the pitch but this was an altogether new terror for Cindy. Neither spoke as they ran at breakneck speed towards onto the field where a security wizard tried to stop them. “I’m his brother, you berk!” Albus yelled, trying to push the tall man back.

Seeing that was indeed James’ brother, the guard stepped back and muttered a hurried, “Sorry,” and let Albus and Cindy through.

They saw the circle of medi-wizards, the head coach, and a handful of other players around James. Above them, the game had recommenced with a reserve playing in James’ place. “Coach Harding,” Albus called out as they approached. “Is James-“ his voice died as he saw the splayed out body of his brother. By Albus’ side, Cindy was crying.

“He’ll be okay, Potter,” Coach Harding assured Albus brusquely. “The medi-wizards are just trying to decide how best to move him. Head injuries are tricky.” Coach Harding spotted Cindy, whose eyes were fixed on the bit of James she could see through the huddle around him, and asked, “Are you the girlfriend?” When Cindy nodded, he told her, “You should go with him to St. Mungo. Albus, you go home and tell your parents.”

Albus gave Cindy a hug and told her, “He’ll be okay – I promise.” It felt horrible to leave Cindy in such a state but Albus knew it would be his head if their parents were the last to hear that James was hurt. Once he was outside the pitch, Albus spotted Brandon waiting for him. “They told me to tell Mum and Dad,” he said, quite out of breath.

“Do you know where they are?” Brandon asked with his brow furrowed.

“Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione’s – most likely,” Albus decided. “Let’s go.”

The words ‘injured’ and ‘being taken to St. Mungo’s’ seemed to age Harry and Ginny several years. The four of them left to the hospital to await news of James’ health.

\---

Rose had never been surrounded by so many dresses in her life. She’d always just worn whatever looked cute in Madame Malkins or Gladrags and never considered just how many styles of dress she’d never even laid eyes on before. It was both overwhelming and slightly titillating to discover this entire world of fashion she had yet to explore.

In her bra and panties, Rose peeked out of the dressing room to see where the sales clerk had gone with the stack of dresses she was supposed to try on. “Rose, are you decent?” Agatha asked from the next stall over.

“I’m not dressed,” she replied, not wanting to broach her decency.

“Well, come into my cube when you are,” Agatha whispered.

Deciding that she’d been in her knickers long enough, Rose slipped into one of the dresses she’d tried on and shortlisted. “What do you want?” she inquired as she entered Agatha’s stall.

“Can you help me zip this up?” Agatha asked with a sheepish smile. Rose looked down at her friend’s dress, seeing that it was a bit snug.

“Can’t you just try for a smaller chest?” Rose laughed as she yanked on the zipper. “There,” she said once the dress was properly done up.

Outside the door, Eliza called out to her friends, “Are you two snogging in there? I need both of you for an opinion.”

Agatha rolled her eyes at Rose before opening the changing room door. “Rosie was helping me zip up,” she smiled, opening the door to their friend. “Is this _the_ dress?” she squealed at the gown Eliza was wearing.

It was quite the wedding dress. The fitted bodice flowed elegantly into a flowing skirt which easily masked the growing belly. Eliza gave them a spin in the dress, causing it to flutter about her gently. “Be honest, does this look alright?” she asked with a backwards grin to Rose and Agatha.

“Spin once more,” Rose suggested, watching as Eliza did as requested. “And the other way.”

Eliza stopped on her toe and began to spin the other way. “Can I stop? This is making me dizzy.”

Rose, laughing, told Eliza she could stop. “It’s perfect,” Rose decided but then added, “Except,” she paused as she pulled out her wand, “let’s see how it’ll work with a little more baby weight.”

Taking a step back, Eliza put her hand up to slow Rose’s charm ambitions. “What are you going to do?” she asked with a hesitant look on her face.

“Just a swelling charm,” Rose assured her. “We tried it on cats in Flitwick’s class, remember?”

Agatha shot Rose a doubtful glance. “That was on cats, not pregnant women,” she pointed out with her brows raised in concern. “Couldn’t we just stick a pillow under her dress to see how it’ll look?”

Rolling her eyes, Rose agreed, “We’ll play it safe then.” Summoning a pillow from one of the comfy chairs they had for guests, she handed it to Eliza who slipped it under the dress. “There won’t be the pointing edges,” Rose murmured as she looked critically at Eliza.

“And you’ll be able to flatten it out a bit with the right undergarments,” Agatha commented, also eyeing Eliza with an analytic eye. “We could always do last minute charms on the dress if need be.”

“On the _dress_ ,” Eliza emphasized with a smirk at Rose. “Let’s take a break before picking out dress robes for the men,” Eliza suggested, taking a seat in one of the comfy chairs.

“Shouldn’t we change?” Agatha suggested, looking apprehensive about ruining her dress. They agreed and went to change back into their regular outfits. Rose finished first and had to go help Eliza out of her dress as it was more complicated to take off than it appeared.

“Do you know which groomsman I’ll be paired with?” Rose asked as she unfastened the back of Eliza’s dress.

“David’s brother, Tim,” Eliza told her with a look of relief as the dress loosened. “You’ll need a date though – Tim is bringing his girlfriend and I don’t want an odd number for couples.”

The thought that she’d have to find a date to bring to Eliza’s wedding hadn’t occurred to Rose. Dating, really dating, was a sore subject for her at the moment. She’d never had a hard time getting dates or finding a handsome man to kiss but going to a wedding with someone signified a bit more than a casual hookup.

Deciding that a trip for ice cream was better than just sitting among dresses, the giggling trio left the formalwear shop and went towards Fortescue’s. Despite the shop’s namesake having disappeared during the second war, the famous ice cream parlor kept his name. The sunlight felt like a warm release while they were enjoying cold treats.

They had their fill of wedding talk for the moment so the conversation shifted to Rose’s recent business venture. "You wouldn’t believe how fun it is to take people to places _I’ve_ always wanted to visit,” Rose grinned at her two friends. “And they paid me to do it,” she finished smugly.

“Will it be fun on the third or fortieth time?” Agatha asked as she leaned back in her chair. “Or will you just be spewing out the same old facts?”

This was an eventuality Rose had considered but wasn’t worried about quite yet. “I’ll find ways to keep the trips interesting,” she assured Agatha with a wink.

Eliza picked up on the innuendo and gasped, “Please tell me there’s something to that, Rose Weasley.”

“How could there _not_ be something more to it,” Agatha giggled with her eyes fixed on Rose. Her friend had more interesting snogging stories than anyone else she knew.

“Let’s just say I now have international experience,” Rose hinted, causing a round of laughter. “Though, I honestly don’t know much about the bloke except he’s good looking and works at a pub I went to.”

Taking a bite of her sundae, Eliza groaned, “Tell me you at least got his name.”

Laughing, Rose added, “I did get his name.”

“There’s not much more to know then,” Agatha chortled as a group from the next tabled eyed them. “Will you frequent that pub on your next trip?” she probed, wanting to know if she could expect more Spanish lover stories.

“I’ll see if I can fit him in,” Rose smiled coyly. Despite feeling quite down about her ability to find a boyfriend, Rose did find comfort in the fact that she could at least seek company with a bartender in Spain while she was there.

\---

Not wanting to be at work, Lily idly gazed down at the article she was supposed to be proofing. She had spent the better portion of Sunday at St. Mungo’s with her family as James went through a series of tests, potions, and procedures. It was the first time since he started playing quidditch at the age of eight that he was seriously injured. There’d been broken bones and other incidents but nothing serious enough to cause him more than a few hours of discomfort. The healer explained to the Potters and Cindy that he’d been concussed quite badly and would need to be checked for brain damage.

“Potter!” Lily jumped as the _Prophet_ chief editor barked her name. “In my office.”

Scrambling to her feet, Lily grabbed a quill, ink, and parchment as she learned to do the very first time he had summoned her to speak with him. The last day had been so gruelingly hectic for Lily that she didn’t have the usual thrill of optimism at possibly having her own assignment. Instead she pushed her worries about James aside and followed him across the buzzing workplace.

As Lily settled into the seat across from the gruff-looking man, he said, “You’ve been assigned a story – as the main journalist,” which caused Lily to drop her quill.

“Ooh, thank you Mr. Hopkirk!” she exclaimed, unable to contain her enthusiasm. “I promise not to let you down.”

Mr. Hopkirk raised his bushy eyebrows at his excitable employee. “Don’t you want to know what the article topic is?” he asked dryly.

“Whatever it is I’ll-“

“Report on your brother’s injury and recovery. Be sure to include any _interesting_ slants you can add as his sister” Mr. Hopkirk told her without the slightest hint of jesting in his voice.

“On James?” Lily managed, her exhilaration all but washed away. “I can’t report on my family, on my brother, Mr. Hopkirk.”

This reaction was not a surprise to the longtime reporter. Lily was one of the doe-eyed girls who expected journalism to respect integrity or personal relationships when it was quite the opposite. Everyone was a story and any lead would do.

“Look, Potter,” he started roughly. “You’re a decent copywriter and make a passable attempt at an article.” Lily smiled bleakly at these words. “But that has nothing to do with why I hired you,” he continued, causing the smile to slide off her face.   “You have a famous name and famous connections – you’ll either use those at the _Prophet_ or go find yourself a dead-end clerical position in some department elsewhere.”

His words felt like a physical assault on Lily. She sat in an angry silence, collecting her thoughts, before responding with, “You can’t bully me into writing lies and spreading gossip about my family. I applied here because I thought it had changed since-“

“News never changes,” Mr. Hopkirk barked waving his hand at a stack of old papers. “Just the names and the dates. Do you think I hired you because of your extensive experience? You’re not witless enough to think it was to grow your skill.”

Tears were starting to gather in her eyes. Lily could tell that he wanted her to fold and accept the assignment and part of her was about to say yes when she remember what her father told her before starting – ‘ _Don’t lose yourself in that place.’_

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Hopkirk, but you’ve grossly misestimated yourself and your ability to push people around. I will not write about James or anyone else just to sell a few more copies of this rag,” Lily stormed as she stood up to leave his cramped office.

Lily could feel the angry glare fixed on her back as she left Mr. Hopkirk’s office but didn’t look back, afraid he’d start yelling again. Once she got back to her desk, Lily realized there wasn’t any point being there as she’d just told her boss to essentially bugger off.

A few coworkers gathered around her desk to see what had happened but Lily refused to talk. “I’ll be in touch,” she promised before leaving with her personal items.

Unable to face going home, Lily left to St. Mungo’s to keep James company, assuming he was awake. The hospital always made Lily a bit uncomfortable as it reminded her of how fragile people were and just how much damage they could do to one another. It wasn’t easy making it past the healers who had evidently been beating back various quidditch fans and reporters from James’ room – it was clear to Lily why Mr. Hopkirk had been so insistent she take this story.

Seeing James with bandages about his head and heavily sedated was quite a difficult sight for Lily. Her older brother was always the one who, perhaps a bit too aggressively at times, watched over her at school and stopped people from being too mean to his little sister.

“Lily,” James muttered as she came into focus. “Why you not at work?” he slurred, still quite groggy from the various potions the healers were administering.

“I’m just on break and wanted to see you,” Lily half lied. She couldn’t face telling him that she was asked to write about him, though there’d been a write-up already that just said he was injured. “And I had to see if it was true you had fans rioting to see you,” she laughed.

James perked up a bit at this. “Fans?” he asked with a look of interest on his face.

“Vultures, more like,” Lily told him earnestly. “How long are you going to pretend to be ill?” she asked with a smirk, wanting to downplay her concern.

“Jus’ long enough for Cindy to,” James paused yawning magnificently. “To fall love with me,” he managed with drooping eyes.

It was only a few minutes until James’ snores filled the room which signaled to Lily that she should leave him to rest. She was planning to visit Archie that night – he had invited her over for dinner – so Lily exited the hospital and wandered about London as the afternoon whiled away.

When Lily decided it was a reasonable time to expect Archie to be home, she apparated to his apartment building and ascended the narrow stairs up. “Oh, hi Bert,” Lily said as Archie’s roommate, Bertrand Phillips, opened the door.

“Come on in – Archie just got home a few minutes ago,” Bert informed Lily as she walked past him. “You can take a seat on the couch if you’d like.”

After five or so minutes, Archie came out of his room with a set of nice robes on. “Should I have worn something nice?” Lily asked nervously. Her robes were rather plain and would not look nice somewhere Archie was dressed to go.

“You’re perfect,” Archie smiled as he pulled Lily up from the couch. Lily’s felt the weight of a rather horrible day slide off as Archie’s arms wrapped around her. Feeling Lily shaking slightly, he asked, “What’s the matter?”

“I quit, er, got fired, one of the two,” Lily stammered, her face still resting in Archie’s shoulder. “They wanted me to write a horrible article on James and I just _couldn’t_.”

“It’s okay, Lily,” he whispered into Lily’s red hair. “I’ll take care of you.” Looking up into Archie’s hazel eyes, Lily smiled weakly. Archie’s face turned a delicate shade of red as he said, “I – I have something that’ll cheer you up.”

Laughing slightly, Lily assured him, “You don’t have to cheer me up – I’m not a child.”

He stepped back from Lily and got down on one knee. Pulling a black, velvet box from his pocket, Archie said, “I love you, Lily, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

Completely overwhelmed by the question, Lily nodded her head. “I… yes. I will marry you,” she managed. Archie wasn’t perfect but Lily remembered her mother saying that no one is whole until love perfects them. Convinced that her love could make Archie the man she needed him to be – one who could accept her gay brother without question – and they would be happy together.

\---

It was a comfortable morning for Scorpius – still in bed with Corbin while they shared the paper with their hands gently clasped in the space between them on the bed. They spent the previous evening out at a pub and were up much later than either of them were quite used to. Scorpius enjoyed the casual ease between them and the ability to share quiet moments.

The rustle of the paper told Scorpius that Corbin had finished the section he was reading. “Anything interesting?” Scorpius asked, still engrossed in the articles on dragon sanctuary tours.

“There’s a blurb saying that Albus’ brother being released from hospital,” Corbin commented, his eyes watching Scorpius. “I’m sure that’s upsetting for Albus.”

Scorpius held in a smile at Corbin’s attempt to probe him for information on his friendship with Al. “I haven’t spoken to him in a few weeks actually,” Scorpius told him, setting the paper down and laying on his side to face Corbin. “We caught a pint together after I got back from Paris.”

Corbin felt quite pleased that Scorpius had not run to his former lover in a moment of duress. He would have understood – he and Scorpius had been friends for quite a few years at least – but the idea of Scorpius being someone’s shoulder to cry on goaded him.

“He said I should move there with you,” Scorpius mentioned casually. It was the first time since learning of Scorpius’ ex that Corbin was truly happy they had talked.

“Do you think you will?” Corbin asked with a brow raised.

Scorpius squeezed Corbin’s hand saying, “I’ve given it a lot of thought,” Corbin’s heart sank at these words. “I’d like to live there part of the time.”

This was a much better response than he’d anticipated but still not the answer he’d been hoping for. “Why only part of the time?” Corbin asked quietly, willing his feelings to not get hurt without knowing the rationale for Scorpius’ decision.

“I just have friends and family here – and I don’t want to completely walk away from the shop. I’d like to open one in Paris while still partially involved here,” Scorpius explained as he traced a line on Corbin’s hand. “Eventually I’ll move there full time.”

He didn’t want to belabor the thought but Corbin had hoped that Scorpius’ friends, particularly Albus, would be okay to leave behind. Corbin was at least reassured by the fact that Scorpius had proved trustworthy. “I guess I’ll be able to cope with only seeing you half the time,” Corbin decided. As he set the paper down, Corbin could see a devilish glint in Scorpius’ eyes. Laughing slightly, he asked, “What?”

It was almost as if a pixie had possessed Scorpius, causing him to straddle Corbin and begin kissing his torso as if each kiss were as important as the next breath he took. Corbin laughed and tried to squirm out from under Scorpius, whose kisses were more ticklish than tantalizing.

Deciding that two could play at tickling, Corbin’s hands began to poke and pinch Scorpius’ back causing a shriek of laugher to be followed by the words, “No, no, that tickles.”

“What do you think you’re doing to me?” Corbin choked as Scorpius got him with another errant kiss.

Corbin pushed against his partner’s reaching arms, causing Scorpius to fall towards the center of the bed. “I don’t want to wrestle!” Scorpius insisted in an almost unintelligible voice through his laughter.

“Then you shouldn’t have started,” Corbin told him, placing a lingering kiss on Scorpius’ heaving chest. “What you can’t finish.”

Scorpius’ laughter had subsided and was replaced by a coy smile. “I can finished anything I start,” he told Corbin in a low voice as he sat up enough to catch him in a kiss. While Scorpius’ stomach was telling him to have breakfast, the rest of him was firmly rooted in bed with Corbin as they enjoyed a later lie-in than they expected.


	15. A Satisfied Mind

Laden with bags from various shops down Diagon Alley, Rose was in a hurry to get to home, where she could try on her new purchases and decide which she really liked. A slight distraction hit Rose as she walked by Scorpius’ shop and they managed to catch each other’s eye as Rose walked by the window. Deciding it would be rude to not say hi, Rose walked in, setting her bags by the door for safekeeping.

Scorpius came out from behind the counter to give Rose a hug. “How are you?” he asked as he squeezed her a bit too tight for comfort.

“Good,” she breathed. “You?” He let her go, not able to keep from smiling. “I’m going to venture ‘really good’ or something along those lines,” Rose teased.

“That covers it,” Scorpius agreed with a wide smile on his face as he leant against the counter.

Rose crossed her arms, trying to scowl though Scorpius’ infectious grin was hard to shake. “Come on, Scorp, dish the news,” she egged him on.

“Corbin asked me to move to Paris with him,” he started, causing Rose to raise her eyebrows and urge him onto the next half of his statement. “I’ve agreed to move there part-time.”

Nearly jumping up and down, Rose couldn’t contain her excitement for Scorpius. For some reason, good news for Scorpius’ love life did not cause her usual pang of inadequacy. Instead, she was elated. “When will you move?” she asked, wanting to give Scorpius a tight squeeze but deciding against it.

“Not for another month,” he told her. “Corbin is still getting his business set up before we move and I’m looking for a suitable person to take over the shop.”

An exciting possibility came to Rose as she processed the timing of Scorpius’ move – a solution to her bridesmaid dilemma. “I have a favor to ask,” she started bluntly. “I’m in Eliza Garett’s wedding and she’s insisting that I bring a date. Will you come with me?”

Scorpius could tell by the strained smile on Rose’s face that she wasn’t keen on his, or perhaps anyone’s, company at the wedding. He weighed his answer for a few moments before replying, “When is it exactly?”

“September 5th,” she said with a grin, hoping that he would have the day free.

Knowing that his social calendar never pushed out further than a few weeks, at this was just over a month out, Scorpius decided he could accommodate Rose’s request. “It’s a date,” he said with more gusto than he felt.

It was Rose’s turn to give Scorpius an uncomfortably snug hug. “Thank you! It’ll be fun, I promise.”

“Why don’t you have a proper date?” Scorpius asked before the words filtered through his brain, regretting the words at once.

Rose’s face fell into a dour look. She wasn’t upset at the question – it was a reasonable one after all – but the reality behind her answer caused a deep frown. “I’m having a rough go at romance at the moment,” she confessed. “I like, well, liked someone but they’re with another person and,” Rose inhaled deeply, her romantic frustrations getting the best of her. “It just seems like everyone around me – even _James_ – has someone special and I just have me.”

Scorpius took Rose’s hand in his and gave it a squeeze. “The girl I dated never gave two sickles about what other people were up to,” he reminded her softly.

Her head drooped slightly as Rose said, “That was a different me.” She couldn’t bear to tell him how much their breakup and subsequent news that he didn’t fancy her as she thought had severely hurt her self-image. “Maybe it’s age catching up with me but sometimes I want someone who will be there more than one night at a go,” she told him with a wry smile curving her lips.

“Don’t be daft – you’re 20 not 50,” Scorpius mildly scolded her. “It _is_ nice to have a bit of consistency in bed-fellows though,” Scorpius added coyly. “Just, sometimes the right one is worth waiting for.”

Raising her eyebrows, Rose couldn’t help but ask, “And Corbin is the right one?” She didn’t know a lot about the man Scorpius was about to move out of the country to be with but it stood to reason that he’d be rather spectacular for him to uproot for.

“You sound like Albus,” Scorpius teased her. “Corbin is remarkable. You’ll have to meet him sometime,” he told her with a thought forming on putting together a dinner for the two of them. “He’s quite delightful and would be interested in your travel business.”

“I’ll see when I can pencil you love-birds into my schedule,” Rose laughed as she let go of Scorpius’ hand. “Thank you,” she added quietly. “For the cheer and wedding aid.”

There was a lot Scorpius felt he could say to Rose in response – that he admired her and valued her friendship to start – but decided on a simple, “Anytime.”

\---

It was slightly disconcerting for Ginny and Harry to have Lily insist on a family dinner Friday night. Their daughter had been acting quite odd throughout the week. At first they chalked it up to her being upset that James was still in the hospital but then she began to act almost manic with glee. Ginny even went so far as to ask what Lily needed to get the family together for but was just told that it would be nice to see everyone more than once a week for a change.

Lily had asked her parents to leave the house so that she could prepare dinner for everyone. Harry and Ginny were uneasy about leaving her alone in the kitchen with so many people to cook for but, as Harry pointed out, she had to learn sometime.

Archie took the afternoon off to meet Lily at her parent’s house and attempt to cook for her family. “We could have ordered in,” he told her as the soufflé he was mixing failed to thicken.

“Oh don’t be such a spoilsport,” Lily told him as she managed the knives busy at work on the counter. “A home cooked meal is the perfect setting to announce our engagement.”

“Will your dad be less likely to have an assassin auror go after me if I feed him well?” Archie laughed. Lily swatted his bottom with a towel, causing Archie to drop the bowl he was mixing. “Lily,” he whined.

“Sorry,” Lily squeaked with a hand over her mouth. “It’s okay if we’re shy a few dishes,” she assured her rather aggravated looking fiancé. “You wouldn’t believe some of the meals I had to endure while Albus and James learned to cook.”

Archie scowled at Lily for a moment before pulling himself together. “We’ll get plenty of chances to try together too,” he said, pulling Lily into a kiss.

“You bet your wand we will,” Lily giggled before returning to her cooking.

Considering that neither of them was very experienced with cooking for themselves, much less for a large family, dinner turned out very well. The casserole was slightly burnt at the edges but that was easy to avoid and the vegetables were a touch soggier than Lily hoped. What was nice about the meal was that she and Archie made it together and had not bickered while doing it. She’d always heard that the relationships were tested in the kitchen and felt they passed that quite nicely.

Lily surveyed her family as they finished dishing up the food with a casual gusto. “Before we eat,” Lily began with her voice coming out louder than she intended. “Archie and I would like to say something.” Standing up, Lily tugged at Archie’s hand as he got out of his chair. Nudging Archie, she whispered, “Tell them.”

Archie gulped as he looked around the table and saw everyone’s eyes upon him, alight with curiosity. Trying not to think of how easily Harry could cast the worst spells on him, Archie said, “This week I asked Lily to marry me.”

“I said yes!” Lily exclaimed as she thrust her left hand out for the table at large to view.

Silence met this proclamation until Cindy piped up with an excited, “Congratulations, Lily, Archie. You’ll make a wonderful couple.”

It was as if Cindy’s words broke through everyone’s shock at the tidings of engagement. Albus was the next to wish them with a hearty, “That’s great news, Lil.” Brandon nodded in agreement though he had a hard time grappling with the idea of marriage at her age – then with a jolt he remembered that Albus was only a year older.

James’ eyes were narrowed, almost as if he were trying to put together a very complicated thought. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again saying, “Wow.”

Lily’s eyes were fixed on her parents, who had exchanged the briefest of looks before smiling at their daughter. “I’m happy for you, darling,” Ginny told her.

Harry felt compelled to say something but words seemed like they were left somewhere outside him. Wanting to do a better response than James, he managed, “Great job,” knowing that these words did not fit the context one bit.

“When’s the baby due?” James asked to the general outrage of the women in the room. Cindy nudged him hard, giving a stern look that told him to stop talking.

“James,” Ginny snapped at her eldest. “That is _not_ something you ask when you sister comes home engaged.” Secretly, Ginny was glad someone asked the question that first sprang into her mind when Lily announced her rushed engagement to Archie.

Archie’s looked of abject horror was enough to tell Harry there wasn’t a grandbaby on the way. His stuttered words of, “We’re not h-having a baby,” followed by a nervous, “Are we?” were enough to almost put a smile on Harry’s face.

“Of course not,” Lily replied tersely. It was supposed to be a happy announcement, not something her family met with disbelief and questions about their motivation. Turning on her heel, Lily stormed out of the dining room and ran up to her bedroom.

The room she left behind sat in silence until Ginny stood up and went after her daughter. Opening the ajar door so she could enter, Ginny called out in a soft voice, “Lily, honey?”

“Just leave me alone, Mum,” Lily said into her pillow.

Ignoring her daughter’s request, Ginny sat down next to Lily on the bed and stroked her hair. “We _are_ happy for you,” she assured her. “It’s just a bit of a surprise, that’s all.”

Lifting her head slightly from the pillow, Lily glared at her mum. “James,” she began hotly.

“James is still half-concussed from last weekend,” Ginny nearly laughed. “He’s never been tactful – reminds me of Ron at times.”

“Are you really excited about me getting married?” Lily asked as she sat up in bed.

Ginny smiled warmly at her daughter. “I really am,” she promised. “Let me see your ring properly,” Ginny asked, reaching for Lily’s hand. “That is pretty – Archie does have nice taste.”

It was another ten minutes until Lily went downstairs with her mum as they discussed the immediate need for Lily to visit her grandparents so they could also congratulate her on the happy news. Lily couldn’t help but smile as she saw Archie immersed in a discussion with Brandon while Albus and Cindy were laughing, most likely at something James said. She loved her family and their ability to grow.

\---

Having Monday afternoons off gave Albus plenty of time to run errands he needed to during the week or go to visit family he often missed with his busy life. He was braving a visit to the Burrow with Cora – his first solo trip with the infant. Beatrice had offered to go with Albus but he wanted to try taking Cora on his own. It felt like a litmus test of his ability to care for her without the supervision of a more experienced person. Albus knew that the only real test was his ability to make it from the front door of Brandon’s flat to the point where they apparated to the Burrow and then down the garden path.

Nonetheless it felt quite important that he be charged with her safety, even around much, much more experienced parental figures like his grandparents. Nana was of course ecstatic when he asked to bring Cora over. She had just seen little Remus over the weekend when Teddy and Victoire visited but was still quite salacious for more time with a little one.

“Is it just you today, Albus?” Granddad asked as he hugged Al. “Well, and Cora of course.”

“Just us,” Albus said with a smile as he waved Cora’s hand at Arthur.

“Albus, I’m so happy you came by,” Molly beamed from across the room. “And that you brought Cora, of course.” She strode over the Albus with her arms out to receive the bright-eyed infant she was coming to adore as much as her grandson did.

Cora gurgled at Molly and reached for her mostly white hair. “Careful, Nana,” Albus warned her but not before Cara’s hand was tightly closed on a lock of hair. “She’s just started grabbing hair, ears, and anything she can get her hands around.”

Molly laughed as she gently pried Cora’s fingers from her hair. “All babies go through a grabbing phase. At least you have a sensible haircut.”  It was the first time anyone had told Al his hair was anything resembling sensible. Usually ‘horrifying mess’ were the words his mum used which was ironic as she adored his dad’s almost identical hair.

“Did Lily stop by yesterday?” Albus asked as he helped himself to a cookie.

The smile that had been set on Molly’s face faded as she replied, “Yes. I cannot believe they’re rushing into marriage and at her age too.”

“Seemed like a nice enough bloke. He definitely dotes on Lily,” Arthur offered with a rather serene look on his face. “Besides, dear, if your brothers would have gotten their way, I would have been hog-tied and sent to Azkaban,” he laughed.

“Oh that’s nonsense,” Molly told him with her cheeks turning red. “They just didn’t see your full potential.”

Arthur pulled his wife into a brief hug and kissed her forehead. “I’m glad you did,” he muttered into her hair. Albus stared out the window for a moment, allowing his grandparents their moment. “Albus,” Arthur started, causing Al to jump as he’d been intent on ignoring his granddad for a moment. “I’m going to show Cora the garden gnomes, if that’s okay with you.”

It was the first time someone had asked Albus permission regarding Cora. “Definitely. I think she’d like that,” Albus said with a nod.

Taking Cora from his wife, Arthur told the baby, “You’ll like garden gnomes,” and stepped out into the garden.

Molly watched her husband go with a fond look in her eyes that Albus tried not to see. He did okay with his parents’ deep affection for one another but he felt intrusive to see his grandparents behave more like teenagers than an aged married couple. Though, Al found it comforting that people still got on well so far into a relationship. He loved Brandon and could hope their love would thrive as long as his grandparents.

“Are you and Brandon still looking for a new flat?” Molly asked with a knowing look on her face.

Albus shrugged, saying, “Brandon is looking for a new flat. I’m not moving in with him,” Albus paused and contemplated the word ‘yet’ but decided to leave it out.

“You will soon enough,” Nana assured him. “With the way you two are together – and how you are with Cora – I can see you’ll be in love for a long time yet.”

Wondering if Nana had just been practicing occlumency on him, Albus laughed a bit before asking, “Don’t you see that with Lil and Archie?”

There weren’t kind words to be said about Molly’s thoughts on Archie so she just pursed her lips together for a moment before replying. “I have no question that Lily’s heart is in the right place but I have my doubts when it comes to someone who rushes into marriage,” she finally said. “Brandon, on the other hand, is a wonderful person.”

While Albus didn’t quite understand the differences Nana saw between Archie and Brandon – at least not the ones that would push her to dislike one and not the other – he was glad that his partner was the favored person. “Have you met James’ girlfriend?” Albus inquired, not certain if word had even reached his grandparents that James was dating.

“She was at St. Mungo’s when we visited. Cindy seems like a lovely girl,” Molly asserted before adding, “She’s a friend of yours, right?”

“Cindy and I were both in Slytherin – she’s a great friend,” Albus confirmed. It was a relief that Cindy was deemed as a passable partner for James. “I just hope-“

Albus stopped and turned towards the open door as he thought he could hear a familiar cry from outside. “Don’t worry, dear,” Molly assured Albus. “Granddad knows how to cheer fussy little ones.”

“I should go check,” Albus decided, standing up. “Cora can be hard to handle when she’s fussy.”

Stepping out into the garden, Albus walked along the edge of the house towards Cora’s cries. When the cries turned to screams, Albus moved faster through the tall grass. The sight of Cora, red faced and dirty, on the ground sent a jolt of panic through Al, his eyes darting around for an injury that would cause her to be so upset. Then Albus began to look for his granddad, thinking he must have set her down to pluck a garden gnome for her to see.

As Albus stooped to pick up Cora, he caught a glimpse of Arthur’s foot, just visible in the long grass. “Granddad?” he asked tentatively. With Cora in one arm, Albus knelt next to Arthur and shook him slightly. The realization that something was not right rose in Albus like a tide in the afternoon. “Nana!” Al shouted over his shoulder. Not sure if she could hear him from in the house, Albus stood up and ran towards the kitchen door just to nearly collide with Molly. “Something’s wrong with Granddad,” managed through the panic in his chest.

“Arthur!” Molly called as she sped around the house. “No!” she shrieked, falling to her knees in the grass. “Albus – get someone from St. Mungo’s! Get the medi-wizards!”

He could hear Nana muttering spells to revitalize Granddad as he stumbled into the kitchen. It felt like a slow eternity for Albus as he searched for the floo powder. Finally locating it, he threw a handful into the fire and shouted, “Medi-wizard Unit, St. Mungo’s,” before shoving his head in the fire. Cora was struggling against Al’s hold but he would not let her go. He had to hold onto something.

“Hello, what is your emergency?” a face at the other end of the fire asked calmly.

Not quite understanding how the unknown woman could be so calm, Albus yelled, “My granddad is – well, I don’t know but we need someone at the Burrow.”

If anything was to be said for the witch at the other end of the fire, it was that she did not miss a step as she said, “We’ll have someone out momentarily. Please step out of the fireplace.”

Pulling out of the fireplace, Albus stood back and the green flames erupted again. Two medi-wizards stepped out with their wands held at the ready. “Where is the patient?” one of them asked with his eyes darting around the room.

“Outside,” Al managed, ignoring Cora’s renewed cries as he led the medi-wizards outside.

They ran ahead once Molly came into view hunched over in the grass. She looked up as their footsteps thudded on the ground and jumped to her feet. “He’s having an episode of some sort – I’ve tried reviving him but-“ Resolve breaking, Molly began to cry, “You’ve got to save him.”

Not since the war ended had Molly been so worried for her husband’s wellbeing. “We’ll do our best, ma’am,” one of them said to Molly as the other knelt on the ground and began a series of spells.

“Mark,” the medi-wizard on the ground called. “I need your help here.”

Albus stood by his nana as they watched the two medi-wizards work over Arthur with looks of utmost concentration of their faces. The minutes passed like years for Molly as she stood by helpless. She would trade all the magic she possessed for her husband’s health.

When the medi-wizard Mark stood up, Molly descended on him with ire. “What are you doing? You need to be helping my husband, not taking a rest,” she shouted as tears clouded her vision. Part of her knew what it meant when they stopped trying to revive someone.

Holding a placatory hand out towards Molly, medi-wizard tried to calm her, “Mrs…” he paused, not sure of whose house he was out.

“ _Weasley_ ,” Molly spat, hands balled into angry fists.

“Mrs. Weasley, I’m afraid that he’s d-“

“ _No_! You’re not trying hard enough to save him! Get back down there and keep trying you bungling berk!” Molly shouted, her voice nearly cracking. “You have to do _something_ ,” she implored them.

“We’ve done everything, Mrs. Weasley. His heart has stopped and,” Mark paused, hating to announce the loss of someone’s spouse. “He’s dead.”

Molly fell to her knees at Arthur’s side and sobbed into his chest. “You can’t be gone Arthur,” she cried, feeling the weight of those words pull her into shreds. “Come back,” she pleaded.

The medi-wizards turned to Albus, whose brain was not able to wrap itself around the current reality. “Is there someone we should inform?” Mark asked with a hand on Albus’ shoulder.

“Harry Potter,” Albus said numbly. Some part of his brain knew that Uncle Bill would be the one to handle things but it was his father Albus needed to see first and foremost. The medi-wizard called Mark left, needing no further explanation on who he needed to find. Albus patted Cora absentmindedly as he watched his sobbing nana feeling that no amount of time with a loved one would ever be enough.


	16. I Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You

The funeral service had been widely attended, not to the surprise of anyone who knew Arthur. The cemetery in Ottery St. Catchpole held a mix of wizarding and muggle residents – the Weasleys elected to lay Arthur to rest next to a muggle section of the graveyard. People who stood to eulogize the head of the Weasley family were besotted with grief but carried fond recollections of Arthur. Kingsley Shacklebolt got up and spoke of Arthur’s integrity throughout his life – from being campaigning for muggle rights, to covertly fighting against Voldemort before the Second War began, and ultimately fighting as an integral part of the final battle of the war – then went on to talk about Arthur’s work after the war.

There were only a few family members to get up and speak during the funeral. George, who still wore grief from the loss of his twin, spoke of his father’s love and patience. He even managed to elicit a round of laughter when he added, “Of course he died of a muggle illness,” before talking about Arthur’s love for all things muggle, his wife, and children. George had to stop talking for a solid minute when he talked about Arthur and Fred being together again, causing his son to join him for the last few minutes of his eulogy.

When the final words were said, Arthur’s body was laid in the ground. His children carried the casket and lowered it into the ground. Despite the usefulness of magic when carrying out such physical tasks, they had all agreed to do with without the use of their wands. Molly stood by as she watched Arthur’s body lowered into the ground while surrounded by her grandchildren, knowing it was the last she would see of her husband in the physical world. Rose held her hand as they both wept at the final sight of Arthur.

A processional of mourners walked by the gravesite and cast in a mixture of flowers and tokens of their remembrance. When Molly walked by the deathly site, she wanted to throw herself in, not the bloom picked from the Burrow garden that morning. Her children huddled around gave Molly the strength to move past the grave and start a life without her partner of nearly 60 years.

The family went to the Burrow to grief together after Arthur’s funeral. The weather was kind enough to allow the sprawling family room outside as they sat in subdued groups. Rose sat next to Nana, still holding her hand. “Can I get you something to drink, Nana?” Rose asked as a fresh wave of tears assaulted her eyes.

“Water would be lovely, dear,” Molly managed while the biting grief stabbed at her.

Rose made her way through the sea of family as she watched all of the various couples together in their grief. Albus was nestled against Brandon, with his head leaning limply against his shoulder. Lily being held by Archie as he gently stroked her mane of hair. Rose’s parents were quietly conversing together. Some of her younger relatives, Hugo, Fred, Roxanne, and Dominique were without a partner to assuage their flow of grief but they were still bonded with each other through the experience.

A slightly deeper misery stung Rose as she returned to her nana with a glass of water and refreshment. Loneliness swept over Rose like a bitter taint to her grief. She wanted someone to share her pain with, someone who would know joy when it entered her life. Rose had thought Lily quite ludicrous to agree to marry Archie but the sight of the comfort that relationship provided made her think it couldn’t be too horrible. Nana took her water and biscuit with a quiet word of thanks.

It was in the moments of silence that stretched between Rose and her Nana that she realized there were others in the family who were without a partner to care for their grieving heart. Rose glanced around and spotted Uncle Charlie alone with a miserable expression on his face. Deciding to see if she could perk up her uncle, Rose vacated the seat next to Molly and plunked down next to Charlie on the couch.

“Hi, Rose,” Charlie managed as she opened her mouth to greet him. “How are you holding up?”

Her eyes swam with tears as she contemplated the myriad of emotions going through her. The loss of her granddad, the slow ache of isolation, and not to mention a twinge of jealousy towards her cousins who were in happy relationships. “I’ve been better,” she responded, weighing the words carefully. “I miss Granddad and can’t imagine what it’ll be like without him but…” she paused to look her uncle in the eyes, but his eyes were set on Albus and Brandon – almost like he knew where her mind was. “I wish I had someone to… to hold me and tell me it’ll be okay.”

She hadn’t intended on being _that_ personal with her uncle but her words caused Charlie to snap his attention to Rose. “I know what you mean,” he confessed quietly. “I had someone once,” Charlie paused and glanced at Brandon before tearing his gaze away. “He died a few years after the war.”

Rose was shocked to hear that Charlie hadn’t always been the solitary figure he was now. “I’m sorry to hear that,” Rose whispered. “I’ve just made a mess of my love life… not had it torn away.”

“You’re still young – you’ll find someone to share your life with,” Charlie reassured her, though his voice was rather hollow at the words.

“Uncle Charlie, you’re still young,” Rose pointed out. “Well, you’re not too old to find someone special.”

Charlie laughed a bitter, hoarse laugh. “I had my shot, Rosie.” She noticed again that his eyes were locked on Albus and Brandon. “I don’t _deserve_ a second chance,” he added scornfully.

“At least Albus has latched onto someone he loves,” Rose commented, wondering if that was why Charlie’s eyes kept wandering towards the pair. While it was frustrating, Uncle Charlie’s mulish refusal to see himself as available for a relationship gave Rose something else to focus on while she and her uncle chatted throughout the afternoon.

Several hours of crying and consolation later, Rose left with her parents and Hugo. Uncle Charlie, who wasn’t going to return to Romania for a week, would be staying with Nana at the Burrow. It was a small comfort to Rose that Nana would have someone nearby who was also coping with pain. Hugo went to his room without comment to the rest of the family – he was too overcome with grief to find a joke to hurl at Rose. It was clear to Rose that her parents were consumed with their own feelings to shepherd those of their children.

Within the quiet of her room, Rose decided to write to the only proxy she had for a significant other – Scorpius. Her note was scribbled in haste but the request was simple: “ _I need a friend after Granddad’s funeral. Can I visit?”_

It did not take long for Scorpius’ reply inviting her over to make its way to Rose. She ran downstairs where her parents were seated on the couch, neither reading nor talking which was unusual. “I’m headed out,” Rose called as she opened the door. She could see her parents stir to ask where she was headed so she added, “I’m going to see a friend.”

\---

Scorpius had tea brewing and a plate of biscuits out as he waited for Rose to visit. It was a peculiar request for her to visit but the loss of one’s grandfather caused many strange occurrences in one’s life. He had been at Arthur Weasley’s funeral with his parents – as they wanted to show their respect to another pureblood family. Scoprius had planned on attending the funeral, to show support for Albus and Rose but had been asked to attend with his parents.

It was nice that they wanted to go as a family – the first time they had done anything as the Malfoys since Scorpius moved out. Draco, perhaps at his wife’s urging, asked Scorpius how Corbin was doing. Corbin knew of the funeral but wasn’t able attend with the family. After the funeral, they left and had a quiet lunch at Malfoy Manor where Astoria asked if they’d come by the following weekend for another dinner.

Rose’s quiet knock at the door caused Scorpius to jump despite expecting her arrival. He waved his wand at the door to open it. They had made eye contact during the funeral but were at opposite sides of a very large crowd. Rose fell into Scorpius’ arms as if pulled there be a summoning charm. “Thank you for having me over,” she whispered into his chest.

Stroking Rose’s hair, Scorpius let her know it wasn’t a problem. “You should always feel free to come to me as a friend,” he assured Rose in a low voice. Kissing Rose’s forehead, Scorpius asked, “Do you want to sit on the sofa?”

He got a response in form of a nod from the teary-eyed woman in his flat. Scorpius took a seat and was taken slightly aback by Rose curling up next to him. He knew there wasn’t anything behind it other than her need for comfort but the closeness brought back the same urges he got while they had dated. “Death should be outlawed,” Rose declared in a weepy voice. “Granddad liked you,” Rose told Scorpius.

“That was kind of him,” Scorpius said blankly. He hadn’t been aware that Arthur Weasley had formed an opinion of him other than being the grandson of a man he didn’t like.

Rose sniffled loudly and went on, “He said we were a handsome couple.”

This caused Scorpius to smile to himself. “You were contributed to at least three-quarters of that statement.”

Looking up into Scorpius’ smile, Rose shook her head. “You definitely contribute your fair share to us being a handsome couple.”

The sound of the door opening and closing caused Scorpius to turn around and see Corbin scowling from the entrance. “What exactly is going on?” he asked in a jumpy, irritated voice.

Hearing another person in the room with them, Rose sat up with a jolt to look around. She saw a man who she presumed to be Corbin. He was slightly taller than Scorpius with short brown hair and a scowl set on his face. She realized that it must look bad to walk in and see his boyfriend cuddling with a girl he hadn’t met before. “You must be Corbin,” Rose said warmly. “I was a bit down and needed someone’s company and Scorpius was kind enough to-“

“I wasn’t asking your opinion you disgusting slag,” Corbin shot at her, his eyes still focused on Scorpius.

“You can’t talked to my friends that way, Corbin,” Scorpius growled, putting a defense hand on Rose’s shoulder. “Her granddad’s funeral was today and-“

“Cut it with your excuses,” Corbin fumed with an accusatory gleam in his eyes.

Rose stood up slowly, looking from Scorpius to Corbin. “I should go…” she managed. “Thank you, Scorpius, for the comfort.” Not caring that it could pour more fuel on the fire between Scorpius and Corbin, Rose kissed Scorpius on the cheek. Between the two of them, it was a friendly gesture with no latent desire behind it. Through Corbin’s eyes, it was a definitive sign of Scorpius’ wandering affections.

They two quarreling lovers watched as Rose ducked out of the flat before continuing their argument. Once the door was closed and Rose was out of sight, Corbin crossed the room to where Scorpius was standing with his arms crossed. “Is _that_ why you want to remain partially in London?” he asked with vehement anger bubbling in his voice. “Or is it for her cousin?”

"There's nothing between Rose and me! You just can't stand that I have friends,” Scorpius yelled, feeling his anger surge at Corbin’s flippant accusations.

“You were both looking more than friendly on the couch,” Corbin countered, gesturing towards the empty sofa. “I can only imagine what you’d get up to while we’re apart if you got that cozy with _her_ in one afternoon apart.”

Scorpius could see that Corbin’s jealousy hadn’t dissipated like he thought but had been pushed down for a spell in their relationship. Excepting a very emotionally confusing weekend when they had first started dating, which Corbin was oblivious to, Scorpius hadn’t done anything to warrant so much mistrust from someone he loved. Frustration and hurt caused Scorpius to screw his face up as the next words spilled from his mouth. “You’re just afraid I’ll find someone better and-“

Corbin’s hand hit Scorpius’ face with a resounding _SMACK_. Tears filled Scorpius’ eyes and he took a step back. At no point in his life had someone struck him – not his parents, friends, or lovers. His hand went to the spot where Corbin hit him before he said, “Get out,” in a low voice.

“Scorpius, sweetheart,” Corbin began, tears also present on his face. “I just… lost control.” He paused, trying to think of words to fit the situation. “You don’t know what it does to me – to see all these people clawing for your attention.”

Sighing heavily, Scorpius pulled a weeping Corbin into a hug. “I know it looked like Rose and I were up to something – but she’s just my friend,” he assured Corbin. “And I shouldn’t have been so mean… I let my temper get the best of me.”

“You’re too good to me,” Corbin managed as he wiped a tear from his face. “I’m so sorry,” he said, kissing Scorpius lightly.

The kiss caused Scorpius to pull back from Corbin. “I… I understand but I need time to sort this out,” Scorpius told him firmly. “It’d be best if you left.”

With his head hung low, Corbin nodded and left. “Send me an owl when… if you want to see me,” Corbin said at the door.

Scorpius sank onto the sofa with his hands shaking after the encounter with Corbin. He’d never entertained the possibility of having a partner who would hit him out of anger. Part of him wondered what he could do differently to avoid that from happening again. He loved Corbin and didn’t want to disregard their relationship over one mistake, no matter the severity.

\---

The past few days had been more than subdued for Rose as she tried to go back to normality. She had received several notes wishing her well through the difficult events in her life. It was heartwarming to know she was cared for by people, even if they weren’t right next to her. She had written all her well-wishers back and was now able to put her mind to other pressing matters.

Rose hadn’t disclosed to anyone the scene she witnessed at Scorpius’ flat, wanting to save any gossip and levity for a more appropriate time. Going through her list of confidants, Rose decided to visit Lily to detail Scorpius’ fight with Corbin. She didn’t want to drag Albus into a lover’s spat and risk his relationship with Brandon – not when it was going so well. Eliza and Agatha would make a great audience for such juicy news but Rose couldn’t trust them with delicate information. Brandon would have been near the top of her list of this information but Rose did not trust herself to be alone in his presence.

As Lily had walked out of her job at the Daily Prophet a few weeks back she was easier for Rose to catch at home. The Potter household seemed empty when Rose arrived to visit Lily. She knew to look in her cousin’s room before calling the trip a bust. With a light knock, Rose called, “Lily, you in there?”

The loud sniffle and, “yeah,” let her know to open the door and traipse in. “What brings you by?” Lily asked sourly.

Being used to the family having a less than friendly demeanor this week, Rose sat down next to Lily with the air of one with great news. “I visited Scorpius on Sunday, after Granddad’s wake,” she stopped as Lily began to cry. “Oh, Lily, it’s okay,” Rose consoled her younger cousin. “I miss Granddad too.”

Shaking her head, Lily said, “It’s not Granddad.”

Wrapping an arm around Lily, she asked, “What is it Lil?”

All Lily could do was shake her head – the words were lost somewhere in her broken heart. When the words came out, they were still foreign to her. “Archie cheated on me,” she managed after a few minutes.

“That pig,” Rose spat as she jerked her arm away from Lily to reach for her wand, as if Archie were nearby and ready to be cursed. Hearing Lily start to sob again, Rose went back to comforting her cousin. “I’m so sorry, Lily,” she cooed. “You were just engaged and everything.

“I know,” Lily sobbed.

A new wave of rage hit Rose, causing her to burst out again, “Why would the fool propose to you and cheat just a few weeks later?”

“I was too wrapped up in Granddad’s death,” Lily cried even harder – her words were nearly unintelligible.

“No, no, no, Lily, his cheating has _nothing_ to do with you,” Rose said vehemently. “If he can’t keep it in his pants while you’re –“ Rose stopped, suddenly realizing that Lily must have seen his betrayal firsthand. “Oh honey, did you walk in on him?”

Lily nodded, her eyes cast towards the ground. “I went to see him last night… I should have let him know I was coming over… I let myself in, we’re engaged, why not? Then I heard him in his bedroom. The door was open and,” Lily shook her head as if she could push the memory away.

Rose ran her hand up and down Lily’s back as she tried to comfort the distraught girl. “It’s best you found out now rather than when you were married,” she asserted, hoping that this would seem like a silver lining for Lily.

After witnessing the start of a fight between Scorpius and Corbin and comforting her cousin after cheating, Rose was starting to feel that it was okay to not have someone else in her life – if that person could be as untrustworthy as Archie and as untrusting as Corbin. Love seemed to be a tricky road for all who travel on it with pitfalls and dangers that were unforeseen until upon the unsuspecting person. It was reassuring to know of people who loved for a lifetime but that type of relationship seemed to be as much of an exception as the rule.


	17. The Long Day of Vengeance

Scorpius paced his flat with a piece of parchment clutched in his hand. The words on it were committed to memory yet he kept glancing down at the scribble of ‘ _Be there after five’_ and then to his watch. Any moment, there would be a knock at his door. It had been just a few days since he sent Corbin away and still the decision weighed heavily. It seemed like the right reaction to being hit but Scorpius missed his boyfriend and wanted to be back in the arms he had grown to love.

The past days tested Scorpius’ self-control as he wanted to return to Corbin and tell him it had all been a misunderstanding. Looking back, Scorpius saw how it must have looked to see Rose intimately close without knowing the larger context. Corbin was a jealous lover – something Scorpius had known but ignored much to the detriment of their relationship.

He needed counsel before talking with Corbin – Scorpius knew that there was no way to erase the fact that Corbin hit him out of anger but it felt extreme to call that the end of their relationship. Albus was set to arrive any moment and hopefully give Scorpius the advice he desperately needed. Scorpius wasn’t sure how much relational wisdom his friend really possessed but he was limited in people he would trust to give him advice on such a sensitive subject.

The sound of knocking at the door caused Scorpius to jump. “Scorp,” Albus called, “It’s me.” The door opened and Albus stepped into the flat, his eyes full of a sadness that was new.

His own drama and sadness had pushed the fact that his friend was struggling through grief out of Scorpius’ mind until that moment. Crossing the room, Scorpius reached out to hug Albus. “Thank you for coming by,” he breathed into Albus’ messy hair. “How are you holding up?”

Tears sprang to Albus’ eyes at the question – he had been struggling since Granddad’s sudden death and it seemed that time was a slow healer even though it had been just over a week since his death and a mere three days since the funeral. “I’ve been better,” Albus confessed, quietly. “I’m just glad that Cora is too young to remember-“ his voice cracked and Albus took in a stifled breath. “that she was there.”

This was news to Scorpius as the papers avoided most morbid details of Arthur Weasley’s death. “I didn’t know she was there too,” he whispered as the topic warranted the quietest of exchanges.

“She was the only one with him when it happened,” Al explained as he took a seat at the kitchen table where hot tea was waiting for him. “Well, when it started. Heart failure seems like an awful way to go,” Al muttered, staring at his tea as he recalled how Granddad’s lifeless body had looked in the tall grass.

Scorpius had the seat kitty-corner to Albus which gave him the closeness required to brush Albus’ cheek tenderly. It was an instinctual move on Scorpius’ part but it harkened them both back to a time when they were each other’s support system. “You’ve had a horrible couple of weeks with James getting hurt and then your granddad…” Scorpius’ voice trailed off as he looked into Albus’ vividly green eyes. Something about Albus’ watery smile caused Corbin to be pushed from Scorpius’ mind. “I’m here for you, whatever you need,” Scorpius intoned, leaning inches closer to Albus.

It took Albus until Scorpius’ face was moments from a kiss to realize what was happening and scoot his chair away, almost falling out of it. “Scorpius – wha – what are you doing?” he gasped, leaning away from Scorpius and the table. “I’m with Brandon and you’re… What about Corbin?”

There had not been many kisses from Scorpius which Albus had ever refused. Scorpius sat back in his chair so he was no longer leaning into Albus’ space. “We had an argument,” he admitted, staring at the floor. “And he hit me.”

“What do you mean, he hit you?” Albus asked incredulously. It wasn’t that he doubted the truth behind Scorpius’ words but he had a difficult time imagining a loving relationship resulting in physical blows.

“He came by when Rose was here and thought, well, that we were together – we weren’t doing anything, just cuddling on the couch – and we got into it a bit. Then, he hit me,” Scorpius iterated as he took his wand out and pointed it at his cheek. “ _Finite_ ”

A bruise appeared on Scorpius’ cheek with a blue-green hue that made Albus cringe. “Scorpius,” he let out in a growl.

“It looks worse than it is,” Scorpius insisted as he tapped the bruise, causing it to blend in with his ivory skin. “We’re just a bit rocky right now,” he paused for a moment and focused on the frown etched on Albus’ face before saying, “I thought that, if you were still looking to-“

"Scorpius, you need to leave him for you, not because you want to try to have another relationship with me,” Albus told him firmly. “I'm not an option."

Shaking his head, Scorpius was on the brink of tears. “I can’t just leave him,” he said with an almost desperate tone. “I love him.”

Albus rubbed a spot just above his right eyebrow as he said, “Yes, but he hit you. That’s abuse, Scorpius.”

“People can change, Albus,” Scorpius pleaded, as if he was trying to talk himself into believing that. “Corbin can change.”

A sigh of exasperation left Albus’ throat before he conceded, “If you’re set on letting him back into your life, then you really don’t need advice from me.” He felt callous putting up a limit to his advice but Albus knew he couldn’t help the unwilling. “I’m concerned for you, Scorp, but I won’t ladle out advice that you’re not interested in hearing.”

Scorpius gave a curt nod. “I just wanted to… to make sure that it was what I wanted to do,” he confessed. "I’m not stupid,” he paused as Albus raised an eyebrow at this statement. “I know it’s risky but I can’t just walk away.”

“And if I had let you kiss me?” Albus asked, wondering how much had been riding on the rebuffed affection.

“I’m not sure…” Scorpius’ voice trailed off as he considered how that would have played out. “I’d likely be on the same path I’m on now,” he decided after a few moments deliberation.

“Please, be careful,” Albus implored to his longest standing friend. It wasn’t easy to stand by as Scorpius made a bad choice for his love life. He knew it was well out of the control of anyone but the two men involved, but Albus wished he could protect Scorpius for any harm that could come his way.

\---

Compared to the previous month of family gatherings, it was a lightly attended brunch at the Potter household. Brandon and Cora were visiting his mum for tea and Cindy was on duty at work. Albus and James had been late leaving their flat after getting caught up in a game of wizard’s chess which Albus lost, to his brother’s delight. While Albus spent at least three nights a week over at Brandon’s and James was often busy with Cindy, the two brothers often had time alone together on the weekends.

James was still gloating about his win when they entered their parents’ living room. “Mum,” he called with a laugh still in his voice. “Al the loser and I are home.”

Ginny strolled out from the dining room with a bemused expression on her face. “You’re both in high spirits,” she noted as that was a behavior lost to the family in recent weeks. “We’re eating in a few minutes. Could you set the table, boys?”

Looking around, Albus noted the absence of his sister from the rooms as they made their way to the dining room. “Is Lily going to be home for brunch?” he asked as his mother passed him just four plates.

“She’s eating in her room,” Ginny informed them with a dour expression on her face.

“Is Rose hiding up there again?” Albus asked, cracking a smile.

The looked his mother gave Albus quelled the smile on his face. “She’s not up to dining with the family at the moment.”

James turned to stare at his mother in wide-eyed disbelief. “So she _is_ pregnant?”

“Goodness no,” Ginny hissed at her son. “She and Archie broke up earlier this week and, well, you can imagine that your sister is quite upset about it.”

Albus and James exchanged looks of confusion. Their sister had just announced her engagement a few weeks previously, much to their shock. To have the engagement end so soon did not bode well. “What happened, Mum?” Albus finally asked as the vague allusions being made were completely useless at conveying information.

Lowering her voice so that Al and James had to lean in, Ginny explained, “Lily caught Archie… well, _cheating_ on her.”

“What?” James exclaimed, much too loud for their conversation to not be heart throughout the house. Lowering his voice he added, “He just proposed to her and then went off and-“

“Yes, I’m aware of the lecherous little toad’s timing,” Ginny spat. “I nearly had to put a body bind curse on your father to stop him, well, you’ve seen him in a temper.”

Brunch was a quiet affair after that. Albus and James were both moodily eating their omelets while their parents prodded them for news of their weeks. Albus mentioned meeting Scorpius but only alluded to his ex’s current relationship issues as they were hard enough for him to accept. James had been privy to the entire encounter, except for the attempted kiss, and had agreed with Albus – Scorpius was a fool for trying to make his relationship work.

Once they had all finished eating, Ginny started to make a breakfast for Lily, who had not emerged from her room. Albus and James took seats on the couch, both still glowering in silence over their sister’s short engagement.

“She’s too young to get married though,” Al commented, breaking the quiet brooding.

“I know that but that Archie really doesn’t know who he was messing with,” James said darkly as he glanced towards the doorway to check that both their parents were out of sight. “It’s _our_ sister he wronged.”

Albus turned to look at James before asking, “So, what? You want to drag him to the fields outside of the Burrow and curse off his favorite bits?”

A sneaky smile spread over James’ face at these words as if a plan was hatching. “I bet you Dad wouldn’t prosecute us if we… well, if we didn’t get carried away,” James pointed out, unable to mask his excitement.

The sound of a creak in the hallway caused them both to stop their planning. “Mum?” Albus called out tentatively. When there was an answer he decided it must have been the house making a noise, nothing more. “We don’t know where he lives,” Albus pointed out.

“We do so – last time he was here with Lily they talked about him living in Peckham in off Goldsmith,” James recalled, causing Albus to look at him with stunned disbelief. “I listen to people. Stop looking so shocked.”

“We’ll want to grab Dad’s cloak,” Albus said with a nervous glance towards their father’s study. “Do you think he keeps it in the same place?”

James nodded and led the way to the study they sneaked into on various occasions growing up. It was a mere five minutes for them to stealthily go into the study and find the tucked away family heirloom. While filching the cloak, Albus spotted a few other fun looking accessories for their excursion. Managing to leave the room without detection, James silently rushed towards the front door with Albus close behind him.

“Mum, Dad, we’re heading out for a bit. Be back in an hour,” Albus called out to the sitting room as they bolted past their parents before questions could be asked or objections raised to their sudden departure.

Once they were out of view from the house, or any of its windows, James grabbed Albus’ arm, saying, “Let’s do this together.” James, who had a clearer idea of their destination, pulled his brother along with a crack.

Unfortunately there were a handful of brick apartment buildings in the area of Peckham they thought to search. James looked slightly overwhelmed by their search and destroy mission until Albus said, “Look, there are names on the door,” as he pointed at the nearest building.

They walked up and read through the list of names. “Boot – that’s him, isn’t it?” James asked pointing to a sticker that read _Boot, A._ among other names. “Apartment 238,” James said as he read to the corresponding flat number.

“Should we ring or just go up?” Albus asked, not really sure what they’d do now that they were at the right place.

“Element of surprise,” James decided as he tapped the dark mahogany wand on the door, causing it to swing open. “If we alert him then the sneak might try to get away.”

It was a quick jaunt up the stairs to the second floor and a mere issue of following the signs to the right apartment. Albus glanced sideways at his brother whose face was alight with an angry malice. “On three?” Albus whispered. At his brother’s nod, Al counted in a low voice, “One, two, three-“

James unlocked the door and the two slipped in as stealthily as they could. “Balls, the cloak,” James groaned as he noticed they were both quite visible. Albus was peering into a bedroom already while James was fussing about the cloak which he had in his jacket pocket.

“I don’t think anyone’s home,” Albus concluded after looking into both bedrooms. “Should we-“

Heavy footsteps outside the door caused Albus to run towards James who had the cloak out. “Under here,” James hissed. They were crouched slightly to ensure that they would remain unseen as the door opened and Archie walked in. Both boys had their wands out, watching Archie and his roommate enter their flat. Albus pointed at himself then the roommate, causing James to nod in agreement.

Pulling the cloak off with a flourish, James shouted, “Petrificus Totalus,” with his wand aimed at a confused looking Archie.

Before the roommate could do more than make a surprised O face, Albus yelled, “Stupefy!” and watched as the unknown roommate crumped onto the ground.

Albus and James stood over Archie with wolfish grins on their faces. “Hello, Archibald,” James greeted him casually as he fished a wand out of Archie’s pocket. “Albus and I thought we’d pay you a visit.” The petrified man at their feet had a stricken look in his eyes which only caused the two Potters to grin even wider.

“We thought you could take a little trip with us,” Albus explained as he threw the cloak over Archie.

The three of them disapparated to a point outside the Burrow – far enough away that Nana couldn’t hear or see them. The tall grass went up to Albus’ waist and James’ hips which gave them plenty of cover from any passersby.

When James pulled the cloak off Archie, he had regained some mobility – enough to have tears leaking from his eyes. “Please,” he croaked.

“No one is out here to hear you cry, veggie boy,” James told him maliciously.

"If you mess with Lily, you mess with all of us," Albus explained to him with more bravado than he felt. They were approaching a point where action would start to count more than words. He and James had talked a big game up to this point but neither had the experience or the chops to really harm someone with magic.

James was ready to hex the cowering man so that he is pockmarked into old age when Lily’s voice cut across the tall grass. “James, Albus, stop.” Lily ran from behind them both and stood between her brothers and Archie. “You can’t do this,” she told them with her arms crossed.

Both were unsure how Lily found them, much less knew what they were up to. “Lily,” Albus started, deciding to table his questions about how she found them. “This berk cheated on you,” he pointed out with an angry gesture towards Archie.

“Just after you were engaged,” James added, as if his sister needed reminding.

Lily was unmoved by their words. “I know what he is and what he’s done,” she said defiantly. Turning towards Archie, who is just getting to his feet, Lily balled up her fist before punching her ex square in the jaw. “I just needed to do that for myself,” she grinned at her brothers.

Archie was on the ground again, holding his jaw. “You bitch,” he spat with a glare towards Lily.

“You boys have fun with him,” Lily laughed as she walked past her brothers.

\---

Brandon stretched out in bed, causing his arm to collide with Albus. It was a groggy Monday for both of them as their Sunday night kept the pair up well past their usual bedtime. Albus returned from his parents’ exhausted and covered in mud but refused to say what he had been up to. Brandon was tempted to mention something to Harry about missing an eventful brunch in hopes of uncovering any activity that would have caused his partner to be so secretive.

Albus groaned from his side of the bed. “You punched me,” he complained into the pillow with a grin just visible to Brandon.

“That wasn’t a punch,” Brandon argued with a smile. “I was stretching out my fist.”

Rolling over so that he was half draped over Brandon, Albus asked, “Is that some Ministry jargon you’ve learned?”

“Not at all, just stating the facts,” Brandon insisted as he idly stroked Albus’ hair. Cora contributed to the conversation by letting out a sharp cry from her crib. Looking at his watch, Brandon groaned, “I’m already running late.”

“I don’t have to be to work for a while yet – I can get Cora ready and watch her until your mum comes by,” Albus said as he reluctantly let Brandon out of bed.

“Are you sure?” Brandon asked, rolling out of bed. “They’ve been quite understanding at work if I need extra time in the morning.”

Also getting out of bed, Albus went to Cora’s crib and picked up the still fussing infant. “It’s not a problem,” Albus assured him. Nose crinkling, he added, “I think she needs a bath with this diaper.”

It wasn’t every night that Albus stayed over, but when he did it gave Brandon a sense of love and family that he hadn’t experienced as an adult. The feeling of family with Al always gave Brandon dose of delirium that lasted well into the day. Not even the austerity of the Ministry could pop hope and happiness that morning.

That was until Brandon got to his desk and saw the mess of cases he needed to sort through. He had been swamped with cases as a few aurors were out ill the past week. Not wanting to seem under-committed now that he had a daughter at home, Brandon had signed up for more than a full load of cases and the paperwork was catching up to him.

Brandon settled into a cup of tea and started to sort through the pile of cases. There were ones that needed follow-up, those to be filed, and those that required his notes to be copied into the file. Halfway through the stack on his desk, Brandon uncovered an official-looking envelope addressed to him. It was an internal message sent from the Department of Child Services. Assuming it had to do with a case, Brandon opened the envelope and read the message.

Each sentence into the letter caused a crease to deepen on Brandon’s face. He was to attend an interview with a representative from Child Services so that they could assess his care of Cora as they’ve had some time to settle in. Brandon had been working child-related cases for his entire time at the Ministry and never heard of a post-custody interview.

Without realizing that he had even gotten up from his desk, Brandon was at Harry’s office door. “Brandon?” Harry called out as he noticed the auror standing in his doorway with his eyes focused on a paper he was holding. “Can I help you?”

“I got this in my work mail – they’re checking up on my parenting with Cora,” Brandon explained as he passed over the letter.

Harry glanced down at the letter he had seen many times over the years. “It’s a standard follow-up, I’m sure,” he said, handing the paper back.

“It’s just that I’ve never run across this in all my work on juvenile cases,” Brandon ventured, not wanting to petulant.

“They are usually conducted well after you’ve closed the case, Brandon,” Harry assured him. “Someone will interview you and write up a report – it’s just so they can close out the file.”

“Shit – the interview is today,” Brandon noticed as he re-read the letter. “My desk has been a touch cluttered,” he added by way of explanation for the late notice. “Do I need to prepare anything?” he asked as a desperate need to protect his family washed over Brandon.

“Just be able to talk about how you’re caring for Cora,” Harry smiled. “They’ll see how well you’re doing.”

Brandon muttered empty words of thanks as he returned to the still messy cubicle. The appointment was after lunch so he’d be able to finish up with the paperwork on his desk, go to lunch, and then sit through the meeting with Child Services. The morning seemed to drag by for Brandon who was unable to focus on the cases he had to work on. Just when the slow passing of time seemed to be a mercy, the clock began to speed ahead towards lunch.

It was with an uneasy stomach that Brandon managed a small lunch – just enough so he wouldn’t be exhausted from hunger but not enough that he’d be sick at the appointment. At five to the hour, Brandon rode the lift up to the Department of Child Services and made his way to the reception.

“My name is Brandon Savage – I’m here for an appointment,” he managed in a voice just above a whisper.

The young girl at the desk looked down her paper and nodded. “Yes, Mr. Savage, I’ll show you back.” She showed him to a tiny room with a table and four chairs crammed inside. “Josephina will be with you in a few minutes,” she told him before shutting the door.

When the door opened again, a grey-haired woman stepped in with a case folder in hand. Brandon stood and extended a hand. “Hello,” he greeted with a smile. “I’m-“

“Yes, Mr. Savage, I know who you are. My name is Josephina Wilcox,” the woman said without accepting the handshake from Brandon. Instead, she sat across from him and straightened out her paperwork. Brandon tried not to blush as he took his seat. “Let’s see here,” Josephina murmured as she glanced down at the paperwork. “You’ve had… Cora… ah, yes, Cora, for two months now?”

Nodding Brandon said, “Hardly seems like it could be that much time,” with his best smile.

“Are you saying that you find the task for fatherhood arduous, Mr. Savage?” she asked, looking over the top of her glasses as she jotted a few words down in her file.

“Not at all,” Brandon stammered. “Cora has been amazing – I can’t imagine my life without her.”

“Hmm,” was all the response Brandon got before she pushed on with the next question. “How do you manage with your job and a daughter? It’s been my understanding that the auror department isn’t quite the consistent work hours a parent needs.”

“I’ve had help from my mother who watches Cora while I’m at work and my partner is awfully helpful as well,” Brandon answered with a touch of pride at the support he had received with his unexpected daughter.

Josephina coughed quietly before asking, “Your partner?”

“That would be Albus,” Brandon clarified.

The scratching of Josephina’s quill was starting to unnerve Brandon. “In what capacity does _he_ help you with Cora?” she asked with an eyebrow raised.

Brandon blushed at the question and Josephina’s inflection on _he_. “He’ll change her diaper or make dinner sometimes,” Brandon said with a shrug, not sure how to list out everything Albus had done for Cora over the past few months.

“I see,” Josephina said crisply. “Does your daughter have any mother-figure in her life?”

If the last question had been upsetting for Brandon, this was downright infuriating. “She has many females in her life,” Brandon stated tersely.

“Aren’t you concerned about the impact being raised by two men will have on your daughter?” Josephina asked with a matronly tone.

“Quite frankly,” Brandon started, his temper bubbling dangerously, “having two dads is the least of concerns I have for my daughter. She’s being raised by people who love her and that has more benefit than the gender of her parents.”

The bite in Brandon’s voice did not escape Josephina. “ _Well,_ if that’s how you feel…” she paused to write another note on the file before continuing, “I’m recommending your case for an in-home inspection, Mr. Savage.”

“For what reason?” he asked aggressively.

“To ensure the welfare of your child, of course,” Josephina chortled. “We like to follow through on certain cases where there could be risks to the child in the home. We’ll send you a letter with the time and date of the inspection.”

Brandon stood, saying a curt goodbye before leaving the Child Services department. He was beside himself with anger at the questions he was asked and the presumptions made by the ignorant caseworker. His and Albus’ relationship, assuming it stayed strong, would be a foundation of Cora’s upbringing.

For the second time that day, Brandon was brooding outside Harry’s door without consciously “How did it go?” Harry asked as he glanced up from a memo he was drafting. Seeing Brandon’s red face, he added, “That bad?”

“She’s recommending an in-home inspection,” Brandon managed, still fighting the urge to yell.

Harry sat back in his chair, a look of surprise on his face. “Why did she do that?”

Shaking his head, Brandon felt horrible explaining to Harry how the conversation unraveled as it was mention of Albus that piqued Josephina’s concern. “She made it sound like Cora couldn’t _possibly_ have a nurturing house if there are two _men_ as her main parent figures.”

“The Child Services group is known for being, well, old-fashioned,” Harry admitted. “I didn’t imagine that they’d be _that_ backwards. Let me see what I can do.”

“What _can_ you do?” Brandon asked with his eyebrow cocked.

With a grin, Harry said confidentially, “I don’t know but I _am_ Harry Potter.”


	18. Don't Let it Pass

Albus was feeling especially chipper after an easy day at work where he could reflect on Archie’s ridiculous visage when he and James returned their sister’s ex to his flat. Seeing that there were lights on in their flat when he entered, Albus called out, “We missed out on a perfect opportunity to take a picture of that buffoon…” Albus paused when he caught sight of James, sitting straight-backed on their couch. A smirk spread on Albus’ face as James’ posture reminded him of the last time they got in _deep_ trouble and their –

“Dad,” Albus managed as all mirth left him. Without being directed to do so, Albus took a seat next to James and waited for a lecture. He had been half expecting one as his dad wouldn’t approve of their form of revenge  - Harry, the boy who lived, Potter was too noble for such actions.

“I’m disappointed in both of you,” Harry began sternly with one hand rubbing at his temple. “Can you imagine my embarrassment to hear that my own sons were involved with such magic?”

James and Albus exchanged the briefest of looks before James put up a small defense. “We didn’t think you’d find the spells that bad.”

“We didn’t do any lasting damage,” Albus supplied but upon seeing their father’s face contort into a deeper scowl than it previously wore, both boys were instantly quieted.

Harry’s anger was close to boiling over when he took a calming breath. “You could have done serious harm to him,” he informed his two sons. “I fought against the legality of _that_ kind of magic and the two of you are running rampant.”

Frustration began to swell in Albus at his father’s gross overreaction. “I wasn’t aware that the auror office made a bit of fun illegal,” he snapped tersely. “It’s not like James and I make a hobby out of – ”

“Torturing people?” Harry interjected hotly.

This time it was James who spoke through his shock. “Albus and I were reckless and got carried away but we didn’t torture anybody.”

Raising his eyebrows, Harry informed them, “That is not what the head of Archie’s department told me. According to him, a person who I’ve known for some ten years, Archie stumbled into work in a horrid state this morning and required medical attention. It was after some prodding that he revealed that it had been the two of you who,” Harry paused to cast an accusing stare at Albus and James before continuing. “Stunned his roommate, kidnapped Archie, and tortured him in a field for some time.”

It was the tears in his father’s eyes that pushed Albus to respond first. “Check our wands, Dad. James and I _petrified_ his roommate and took him to just outside the Burrow and…” Al’s voice petered out as he realized just how bad this was sounding.

James, leaning forward in his seat, tried to explain their rash behavior with, “We did a stinging hex, jelly legs, and transfigured horns onto his head… nothing _evil_. Well, Lily _did_ punch him.”

While the story his sons were providing did not match what he heard, and believed, earlier, Harry couldn’t help but react to his daughter’s involvement. “You let Lily in on this nonsense?” he nearly yelled with his ears burning.

“She followed us – we didn’t ask her to come,” Albus told his father, crossing his arms. “And I would like to know why you believed the worst of us. You didn’t raise us to be evil.”

Tired of looming over his children, Harry conjured a chair and melted into it with his eyes downcast. “Today went so wrong,” Harry muttered more to himself than Albus and James.  Making eye contact with James and Albus in turn, Harry confessed, “It was wrong of me to not check your side of this before… well, before believing the worst.”

Always one to forgive, James smiled at his father saying, “No harm done, really.”

The two brothers had rarely seen their father look so distraught. “I pulled some strings to get Mathis to forget what Archie told him. Called in quite a few favors,” Harry explained, no longer looking at Albus.

“You saved the wizarding world, Dad,” James said with almost a laugh escaping. “Throwing your weight around once in a while doesn’t make you horrible.”

“I suppose you haven’t seen Brandon today,” Harry said with a glance towards Albus. Worry overwhelmed Al as he shook his head – his plans to go to Brandon’s for the evening seemed in peril with the ominous statement. “He’s okay,” Harry reassured Al, seeing the color left his face. “There’s a department at the Ministry that will be looking into his parenting capability. I had hoped to use some pull to divert their investigation as it is fueled by an ugly prejudice.”

Albus stood up and made his way towards the door. “Al, where are you going?” James called as he watched his brother retreat from the room.

“Brandon will need me,” he said, stopping by the door. “You should have mentioned this first,” was all they heard before Albus turned on the spot to disapparate.

Although he was an expected visitor that night, Albus avoided apparating directly into Brandon’s flat, preferring to enter through the front entrance after knocking. Today Albus did not knock, rather he nearly ran into Bran’s flat with his eyes darting around for his love.

Seated in the rocking chair, holding Cora tenderly, Brandon looked up at Albus’ dramatic entrance. Brandon knew when he had left work that evening that Harry’s promise to look into his situation with the Child Welfare department fell apart because he had to cover for some shenanigans Albus and James had gotten up to. He wasn’t angry at Al as Harry’s promise of help seemed like a debt that could never be repaid.

“Was Harry at your flat?” Brandon asked as he got out of the chair with Cora still in his arms.

Still in his work robes, Brandon closed the distance between the two of them to place a kiss on Albus’ forehead. “I’m so sorry,” Albus managed as he put his arms around Brandon and Cora.

“You don’t have to be sorry to me – this review isn’t your fault,” Brandon said firmly. “We can talk about this later,” he added gently.

With a small smile on his face, Albus took Cora from Brandon. “How about we grab pizza instead of cooking?” Albus suggested hopefully. Usually he enjoyed cooking with Brandon but all of his energy for the night was exhausted.

It was another hour before Brandon got changed, Cora was fed, and they walked a few blocks to their favorite pizza place. They had a handful of options in the neighborhood but many of the eating establishments were either too loud for an infant to enjoy or too quiet to get by with the occasional outburst from Cora. They were semi-regulars at this pizza place as it served quite good pizza and tasty beer.

Their regular waiter was not there to greet them on a Monday night but rather a younger person was there with a slightly bored look on his face. After being seated and given two menus, Brandon and Albus started to decide on their pizza for the evening.

“Deep or thin?” Brandon asked, looking over the menu with an eyebrow raised suggestively.

“Definitely deep,” Al smirked with a blush before asking, “Specialty or Meat?”

“Meat but I’d like a side salad,” Brandon decided, setting the menu down. Cora was content playing with her rattle while Bran and Albus sipped their beers.

The waiter came by with two salads after not too long and said jauntily, “Having a nice night without the women folk?”

Brandon and Albus exchanged weary looks. Their regular waiter knew them well enough to understand that they were a couple and did not make presumptive statements about their lives. “Not really,” Brandon said curtly. After the ridicule he experienced that day for not having a mother-figure for Cora, he had limited tolerance for ignorant questions.

Misunderstanding the response, the waiter pushed on, “Well it’s hard to take over on a woman’s job.”

This time it was Albus who spoke up, seeing Brandon so obviously annoyed. “There isn’t a woman – just us and the baby.”

“Oh,” was all the waiter said as he turned red. “I’ll go check on the pizza.”

They had a rather quiet dinner apart from getting a free second round of beers served with a bumbling apology. Brandon’s jaw was locked, causing him to look as if his tooth ached, when they paid and left. Albus had to walk fast to keep with Brandon’s pace as he sped down the street. Jogging a few steps to catch up, Albus placed a hand on Brandon’s shoulder.

Turning around, he snapped, “What?”

“Nothing, I just thought you’d want us to keep up,” Al said not wanting to cause a fight between them.

“I’m sorry,” Brandon sighed as he took Albus’ hand in his. “Jerks like that, or the hag at the Ministry don’t usually get to me but today it’s coming at me from all sides.”

Once they were home it was time for Cora to be put to bed – something Albus was becoming better at each time he tried. Brandon’s mood was lifted as he watched Albus and Cora together. It was clear that Albus was still learning but it was the effort that mattered to Brandon the most. On the third chorus of a song hummed tunelessly by Albus, Brandon decided that Cora was likely set for bed. “She’ll be out in a few,” he told Al quietly. “Let’s go out to the living room for a bit, unless you’re tired too.”

The twinkle in Brandon’s eyes told Al that there was more teasing in the suggestion that he was tired than real consideration of his energy. Feeling up for a bit of tomfoolery himself, Albus laid across the entire length of the futon which elicited a laugh from Brandon. “I’m too tired to sit up,” Albus said his arms behind his head.

Without missing a beat, Brandon sat on Albus’ legs. “There’s no need to get up,” he chuckled.

It took an effort but Al managed to sit up as far as he could with a grown man on his lap. “There’s no need to squish,” came his slightly strained voice. Wrapping his arms around Brandon’s torso, Albus placed a kiss on the auror’s shoulder. “Today has been a difficult day,” he declared, almost unnecessarily as quiet fell between them.

Moving off Albus’ legs, Brandon nodded before saying, “For the both of us, from the sound of it.” He waited a moment to see if Albus would offer information on what it was that set Harry off. Brandon had a sneaking suspicion but wanted the story to be offered up rather than extracted. When Albus stayed silent, Brandon asked, “What put a damper on your day?”

Albus knew he couldn’t avoid telling Brandon about the trouble he and James were in as it was evidently circulating around the Ministry. It had been difficult seeing his father’s anger at the act of machismo but it was a hundred times worse to see the disappointment in Brandon’s eyes. “It was a stupid thing for James and me to do since Dad can’t help you now,” Al finished quietly.

Brandon had felt many emotions because of Al but this was the first time that anger entered the mix. “Your dad’s help with the investigation isn’t the reason that your attack on Archie was irresponsible,” Brandon said with a frown on his face. “My job is to uphold the law and your flagrant disrespect for it could put my job and custody of Cora in jeopardy.”

“If I were hauled in by the Ministry, they’d go after Dad – ” Albus stopped at the look he was getting from Brandon and shook his head in shame. “You’re right, Bran. I risked a lot, for myself and loved ones, just for a bit of ego.”

A small kiss to Albus’ nose told him that any anger Brandon felt was fleeting. The second kiss, this one on the lips, let him know that there could be fun in store for them that evening. The third, one where Albus slowly left a mark on Brandon’s neck, was the greenlight needed for both of them to relax for the night.

\---

An evening of fine champagne, dancing, and giddy company put Scorpius in a better mood than he’d experienced in several weeks. Rose looked like a dream in a creamy color dress that provided a delicate contrast with her pale skin and showed contours that turned more than a few heads throughout the night. Scorpius’ hand was on the small of Rose’s back as they danced to a slow waltz. “Several of the men here would pay galleons to be dancing with you,” he commented demurely.

Rose raised her eyebrow and smirked. “I don’t think I want men to pay for my company.” She could tell that Scorpius was searching for something polite to say as an apology for the unintended slight. “I’m glad that you’re here, dancing with me,” Rose told him in earnest.

Maybe it was the effect that bubbly alcohol had on Scorpius but he blushed at Rose’s words. “I feel the same,” he started just as the song ended. “Do you want to catch some air?” Scorpius asked as they made for a door to the patio.

The air was chilly that evening so the two stood close to one another near the banister. “It’s quite the gala,” Rose commented as they watched the reception go on with gusto. “I would want a smaller wedding,” she added as an afterthought. “With just the family.”

A laugh escaped from Scorpius before he could stop himself. “Your family would be at least a hundred people. That is no small affair.”

“Then I would elope,” Rose decided with some level of conviction. “That is, if I ever get a mind to settle down.”

Rose began to wonder if she and Scorpius would have married if she hadn’t been so carefree and afraid of relationships with longevity. Scorpius too couldn’t help but wonder what would be between them after years together instead of months. A slight sadness came between them as they were both at difficult points with their love-lives. Putting an arm around Rose, Scorpius said the only words he could think of that held any real meaning, “I don’t think you’ll ever settle, Rose. You’ll meet your match.”

These words rang with sincerity and caused Rose to feel something she hadn’t in some time – hope for herself. “It looks like they’re tossing the bouquet,” she said with her sense of duty kicking in.

When they reentered the ballroom Rose made a beeline to Agatha and Eliza, both of whom were at the main table. “You are positively glowing,” Agatha said with relish.

“Oh, am I?” Rose asked, tucking a strand of hair back into place.

“You are, dear. And Scorpius hasn’t taken his eyes off you this evening,” Eliza gushed. Blossoming romances were a favorite area for meddling – even if they needed more encouragement than anything else.

Unsure how to respond, or what to think, about her friends’ observation, Rose changed the subject. “Is it bouquet time?”

“Indeed, it is,” Eliza agreed with a wink to Agatha. Rose wondered what it was her two friends were in cahoots over but didn’t have time to dwell on it as she was seeking out single women to gather around for a time-old tradition.

Rose and Agatha were hip to hip, rather hip to thigh with their height difference, and crowded in a bunch of women ranging from young teenagers to women past their prime who were only in the huddle out of tradition rather than keen interest. Eliza was making a meal out of getting up on a chair, helped by David to keep her balance. After a count to three, Eliza gave her delicate flowers a gentle toss to the crowd behind her. Rose could see the flowers arch towards her and ducked them instead of reaching out her hands. Agatha managed to catch the arrangement, causing a round of congratulations.

Bowing out of the mass of women, Rose found Scorpius at the table the shared during dinner. “That’s quite the spectacle,” he commented with amusement. “You did a remarkable job dodging there.” Scorpius’ teasing caused a swoosh to pass through her stomach and wonder back to her friends’ words. Caught up in speculation, it took Rose a few minutes to catch the question being asked until she felt Scorpius’ hand on her knee. “Want to catch another dance?”

Nodding, Rose following Scorpius out to the dance floor, which was dwindling in population. “I wish nights like this could go on forever,” Rose commented over the soft music.

“I can’t stop time but I can prolong the evening,” offered Scorpius. “That is, if you want to come over after the reception.” Not sure if this was the best course of action for the night, Rose decided to accept the invitation.

After seeing off the bride and groom, Rose had little left to do at the reception. Clean up and other smaller tasks were being taken care of by a handful of hired wizards. Rose felt nervous and excited as she and Scorpius apparated to his flat for drinks and who knows what else. Despite both being tired after a long wedding and reception, the pair enjoyed more drinks and a bit more dancing in the privacy of Scorpius’ flat. It was much more comfortable dancing without heels for Rose and Scorpius was rather relaxed without having a crowd around them.

Over time, their dancing involved less formal movements and more small, intimate movements. Before either knew it, they were in a standing embrace with their foreheads lightly touching. “I don’t think we’re dancing anymore,” Rose said with a slight giggle.

A knot of anticipation was building in Scorpius’ stomach. It was as if the evening reminded him of everything desirable he once fancied about Rose. All thoughts of Corbin and Albus vanished as he placed a tender kiss on Rose’s red lips. After an evening of dancing in a romantic atmosphere, Rose responded to the familiar feeling kiss and pulled Scorpius just marginally closer to her. It was the closeness she missed.

They entered a different type of dance together, one they had not done in quite a while. It spoke of longing and missed closeness. Before either of them realized it, their fine clothing was discarded on the floor with little more than scant bits left afterwards. Catching his breath for a moment, Scorpius looked into Rose’s intense eyes and asked, “Are you sure about this?”

The question caught Rose off guard – no one had asked her that before moving ahead with intimacy before. “I, uh…” Moments before Rose would have gone to bed with Scorpius without regret but the pause forced her to consider their past and how listless she had been the past months. “Would it be okay if we don’t?” she asked tentatively. Before Scorpius could answer, she pushed on, “It’s just that I _am_ quite, well, randy but we’ve just become good friends again and I don’t want to lose that over sex.”

For an answer, Scorpius gave Rose a hug with a respectful distance between them. “Your friendship means so much more to me than hooking up,” he said, releasing Rose from a hug. Grabbing for the nearest pair of trousers, Scorpius stepped into his pants before offering Rose a blanket. “Here, so you don’t have to go starkers. I’ll make us tea,” he offered, leaving Rose to dress in private.

\---

Lily straightened her back and held her head high as she entered the atrium at the Ministry. She was there to collect her final pay from the Daily Prophet. Harry offered to escort his daughter in but she declined, not wanting to rely on her father’s protection for a simple formality. Of course, no one took notice as Lily walked to the elevators and waiting for the doors to open and slowly take her to the Daily Prophet offices.

It was a surprise to Lily when she got off the lift and saw how much changed in just a few weeks. She supposed that the change in people was constant there but it hit her harder after not experiencing firsthand. Walking up to the front desk, Lily said, “I’m here to collect final pay,” to the wizard who was immersed in an article rather than the newcomer.

“Your name?” he asked with a glance up. When Lily gave her name, he finally gave her full attention. “Mr. Hopkirk would like a word with you,” he said quickly. “Could you have a seat while I get him?”

Lily was taken aback by the request and didn’t think to decline before sinking into one of the less disgusting chairs. It was only a five minute wait until Lily was escorted in the office she had only visited once before. Bob Hopkirk was gazing out of the magic window which provided him a view to the weather outside. The door shut behind Lily but Mr. Hopkirk didn’t turn around. “Excuse me?” Lily probed, wondering why he would ask to speak but ignore her entrance.

“Ah, Lily, thank you for stopping in,” he started after a few extra moment’s pause. Lily did not respond as she did not have a polite answer, feeling rather annoyed by whatever game he was playing. “I would like to see if you’ll reconsider your job here.”

Lily furrowed her brow before saying, “I was under the impression that the Prophet found my journalistic integrity to be problematic.”

“Don’t be silly,” Bob laughed boomingly. “We both lost our tempers and acted rashly.”

As she didn’t have any plans for a job, Lily was at least curious to see what she was being offered. “What would you like me to return as?”

“A reporter, of course,” Mr. Hopkirk blustered. “Can’t let you go on editing forever.”

“Would you expect me to report on my family?” she asked with a mulish look on her face.

Not meeting her eyes, Mr. Hopkirk made some analogy about needing to get the stories people want but finished with, “We’ll let you pass on articles that are too _close to home_.”

This all sounded too good to be true and it was that nagging feeling of mistrust that caused Lily to rebuff his offer with, “I need to think about it for a few days.”

She could tell that wasn’t the answer he wanted, but Lily was allowed to leave without any other requests or harassment. Overall, Lily’s trip to the Prophet was much less difficult than she thought it was be – but that was before she made it back to the atrium.

As it was the middle of the morning, Lily didn’t expect there to be a chance she’d run into Archie during a quick trip to the Ministry. Luck was not on her side as she heard a loud, “There’s the slag I told you guys about,” from across the atrium. Archie and a handful of workers from the Magical Vegetation department were returning from the field.

Making up her mind not to interact with that creep, Lily headed straight for the fires so she could use the Floo and return home. That was until she heard a scuffle from the group and turned to see Lysander in the midst of a confrontation with Archie.

“You have no right to speak about her like that you blibbering humdinger,” Lysander said in a quiet but heated voice.

A smile began to form across Lily’s face until Archie, at least five inches taller than Lysander, balled up a fist and punched him square in the stomach. “You’re a disgusting beast,” Lily exclaimed as she ran towards Lysander. A few of the Magical Vegetation workers backed up with uneasy looks on their faces at Archie’s action.

Doubled over, with hands raised to his mouth, Lysander coughed as he tried to regain regular breathing. “I hardly touched him,” Archie said with a shrug. “Besides, your dad bought what I said about your brothers’ mistreatment of me and, let’s just say there are benefits to having Harry Potter embarrassed of his sons.”

This was news to Lily – whatever Dad found out about Albus and James having a go at Archie, he didn’t share it with her over the last week. His words seemed to ring with truth as another one of Archie’s coworkers let out a derisive laugh.

Seeing that Lysander still did not work well, even after standing upright, she said, “Come on, I’ll get you to a Healer.”

Ignoring the taunting from Archie and his cronies, Lily put an arm around Lysander and helped him towards the fireplace and onwards to St. Mungo’s. Lily bit her lip as Lysander claimed to have ‘been hit’ but didn’t specify by whom. Given Archie’s claim of free reign at work, Lysander’s aspirations to study magical vegetation could be at risk if he placed blame on the brute.

“Do you want me to let your parents know that you’re hurt?” Lily asked while they waiting for an available Healer.

Shaking his head, Lysander answered, “It’s okay – I’m not hurt too bad.” He waited a few moments, as if debating his words, then said, “You don’t have to wait with me, Lily. I’ll be fine.” He had wanted to use his injury to have at least a few hours with Lily but thought it at a lowly way to get her attention.

“I’ll wait until the Healer comes for you,” Lily told him firmly. “That way I know you’ll be okay.”

  “You would have liked the specimen we were in the field for today,” Lysander said in his quiet but clear voice. “It was quite beautiful, like you.”


	19. Time to Get Out

“Sure this is the right flat?” Albus asked, checking his watch. They were standing somewhat awkwardly on the stoop of a building where they were to meet a muggle realtor. James and Cindy came with Brandon and Albus to act as a second pair of eyes as Brandon picked where he would settle to raise Cora.

“She could be trapped in traffic,” Brandon suggested as he leaned again the banister. “It happens to muggles all the time.” This is a fact he could personally attest to as he kept occasional appointments with muggles and knew that not being able to magically disappear and reappear caused many delays.

After a sharp _honk!_ of a nearby horn, the four adults turned to see a waving woman who was parking not too far away. “That must be her,” Cindy commented with a smile to the approaching stranger.

The realtor introduced herself to Brandon and apologized for being _stuck_ in traffic which caught Al’s imagination for a few moments while he picture tar that trapped commuters. Then she explained that she had sent them a _text_. Brandon knew how to respond to this – their battery died – but the other three politely listened to the exchange.

Turning to the group behind her, the realtor said, “Mr. Savage, I present your future home.” Stepping aside she let Brandon, Albus, James, and Cindy pass before closing the door and pointing out the key features. “You and Mister, um,” she paused and looked towards Albus expectantly.

“Potter,” he said caught by surprise.

“Mr. Potter will have plenty of room for entertaining or having guests over,” she smiled. Glancing at her notes, the realtor went on, “Your application says you work for Scotland Yard. We’re just a block away from the bus line that goes straight to St. James Park.” As an auror, Brandon was used to giving muggle versions of magical jobs that aligned with the general occupation being described.

“What does this do?” Albus asked with his hand on a switch next to the sink. Flipping it caused a loud grinding of gears causing Al to blush as his fingers fumbled with the tiny level until the grinding stopped.

Doing her best to not look taken aback by the young man’s ignorance of simple kitchen amenities, the realtor smiled widely before saying in a jaunty voice, “It’s a garbage disposal for kitchen waste. Just pop bits of eggshell or vegetable scraps down the sink and they’ll be ground up and washed down the drain.”

James nodded from a distance, not really trusting the monster drain. Looking around the living room, he couldn’t help but notice, “There are so many plugs.”

Mistaking the comment as James complimenting a feature of the property, the realtor beamed and said, “Should be enough to keep all your modern luxuries powered. We’re also pre-wired for Ethernet in every room.” James and Cindy nodded as if this meant something to them.

“Albus and I are going to look at master bedroom,” Brandon told the realtor with a foot on the stairs that led to the second floor. “Could you show James and Cindy the rooms down here?”

The second floor had two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a few large closets. The master bedroom was twice the size of Albus’ current bedroom and was even an upgrade for Brandon, who had picked his flat based on the large bedroom it boasted.

“We could put our bed here,” Al decided as he walked towards the window. Brandon smirked but didn’t reply. _Our_ was a word that nestled comfortably between he and Al. “Might need some drapes – don’t want muggles seeing what we do in our bedroom.”

In one fluid movement, Brandon spun Albus around and crushed him with a kiss. He and Albus weren’t planning to live together for a while yet but hearing the way Al identified their co-ownership of space and items put Brandon over the edge. “I really love you, Al,” Brandon said after breaking his kiss.

Albus raised an eyebrow at this sudden show of affection. “I’ll make a note to talk about furniture more in the future. Is it just bedroom furniture or could I talk about us getting a real couch to get you going?” Grinning at his own cheekiness, Albus leaned in for another kiss. “I love you, Bran.”

Footsteps announced the approach of more people so Brandon disengaged from Albus. “How do you like the bedroom?” James asked with a grin, knowing _that_ look in his brother’s eyes all too well.

“The whole place is lovely,” Cindy sighed with longing as her own living arrangements had her with a girl from work who was entirely too messy. “I bet Cora will love it as well.”

“The stairs are a concern – or they will be once she crawls,” Brandon commented with a slight frown.

Sensing that her client needed to converse about the property alone, the realtor trilled, “I’ll leave the four of you to discuss your thoughts,” before heading to the first floor.

“It’s a nice home for you to raise a child,” Cindy said, offering her opinion first. “Only one other home in the building so you won’t have to worry about muggles _too_ much as Cora gets older.”

“There’s also that alleyway we used for apparition,” James added with a shrug. He and Cindy talked to the realtor about other properties she had for sale and rent but he was rather content living with Albus for as long as his brother wanted to share a place.

“What will the Ministry inspector say of this place?” Albus asked with a frown. The in-home observation of Brandon and Cora was a few days away and they would likely need to talk to their living situation, as Brandon’s flat was too small a growing witch.

The look that passed over Brandon’s face told of the worry and anxiety he felt about having the Ministry decide if he made a satisfactory father. Cora had been in his care for the past months and he couldn’t bear to part with his daughter. “We’ll see if it comes up, but I don’t think they’ll have a problem with us moving into a larger place,” Brandon remarked after several moments. “Let’s go see about papers for this place,” he decided. “If we have to back out, I do know an obliviator,” Brandon added with a grin to Cindy.

The next few days flew by as Albus helped Brandon spruce up his flat for a visit from the Child Services office. They had Beatrice watch Cora for a day to allow for uninterrupted cleaning. Albus and Brandon both had the day off from work to wait on the day of the inspection. Brandon hadn’t asked Albus to stay for the inspection but was very happy when Albus offered to be there with him. A slightly tense Brandon played with Cora, who was attempting to crawl, as they waited for a knock on the door.

A light knock at the door caused Albus to jump before making his way to greet the expected visitor. Opening the door he saw an older woman with her hair in a careful bun. “I’m here to meet with Mr. Savage,” she said by way of an introduction.

Welcoming her in, Albus stepped aside and said, “Brandon is in the living room with Cora. My name is – ”

“Albus Potter,” the woman finished for him. “Yes, I know all about you. My name is Josephina Wilcox.”

The first twenty minutes of the inspection was Josephina getting a tour of the one-bedroom flat. The first sticking point was the single bedroom for everyone present. “Do you stay here every night, Mr. Potter?” she asked with a quill poised to take notes.

“Only a few times through the week,” Albus told her trying to mask the annoyance he felt at the woman’s presence. It helped that he was holding Cora as she brought a smile to Albus’ face in the tensest of moments.

“Do you have any experience with children?” Ms. Wilcox asked with a dubious stare.

“I come from a large family,” Albus told her, almost unnecessarily. “Cora is the baby I’ve spent the most time around,” he said with a kiss to the top of Cora’s fuzzy head.

The only response Albus got was a quiet _hmm_ from Josephina. Brandon was working hard to hold in his frustration with the seemingly random questions about their life. “Tell me, how is it you’re able to get the privacy two young men such as yourselves undoubtedly want with an infant sharing your room?”

Albus answered without filtering his response. “There’s always the couch.” After hearing the gasp from Josephina, Al realized what he said and tried to correct the situation. “I just mean we work around it and Brandon will have a new place in a couple of weeks. It’s a small trade off.”

This answer seemed to assuage a portion of Josephina’s concern. “Well, I think we can move onto observation. Please just go about your day. I’ll, uh, take the rocking chair if you please.”

Brandon sat on the floor with Cora as she worked at crawling. He placed a teddy bear just out of her reach to see if she would move a few inches on her own to get it. As Cora’s tiny hand was about to clasp onto the bear, Brandon pulled it just another arm-length away. Soon Albus was on the floor too as they were coaxing Cora into moving further on her own while they ignored Josephina all together. While independent movement would create a few more challenges for Brandon and Albus, it was incredible for them to see Cora grow before their very eyes.

Cora began to fuss just before lunch so Albus excused himself to prepare a bottle for Cora. He was just about to ask if Brandon and Josephina wanted lunch as well (it seemed rude not to include her) when the sound of the Ministry inspector’s voice carried into the kitchen. “Well, Mr. Savage, despite my initial concerns I can see that young Cora will, if nothing else, grow up with a very loving family.”

“I’m glad you see that,” Brandon replied with a smile breaking through on his face.

Her voice a bit louder this time, Josephina added, “I’ll have my report completed this afternoon and we will have no further follow-up required. Thank you for your time today.” She was out the door in another minute, after a brief goodbye to Albus.

Walking back into the living room, Albus gave Brandon a wide smile. “You did it.”

“We did it,” Brandon corrected him as Cora tried her best to crawl towards Albus and her bottle. In a quieter voice he echoed the words, “We did it.”

\---

The cool air outside the Burrow whipped around Lily as she walked the familiar garden path to her grandparents, no, her Nana’s house. While not working, Lily made a point of visiting Nana to keep her company. Granddad’s funeral had been a mere three weeks prior and the well-wishers had stopped visiting regularly.

Lily gave the door a light knock before letting herself in. “Nana, it’s me,” she called to the large house. Stepping inside, Lily could see a stack of mail and cards on the table which were unmoved (though increased in size) from her previous visit. She was concerned about how Nana was holding up through grief but didn’t know how she could help in any other way than her visits.

“Lily, dear,” came Nana’s voice from the stairs. Molly was still in her dressing gown and robe but she was used to her granddaughter visiting while she was in this state. “I must have forgot the hour.”

“I spend all day in my nightgown on weekends,” Lily told her nana. “It’s quite fashionable, actually.”

This caused Molly to almost smile, something she had not accomplished often since losing Arthur. “I’m afraid I don’t have much by the way of lunch. I’ve been…” So many words came to mind like _unable to get out of bed_ and _missing Arthur’s touch_ but she said instead, “a bit out of sorts.”

The loss of Granddad was difficult for Lily but she could not fathom what it was like to say goodbye a spouse after so long together. “I brought lunch for us, Nana,” Lily smiled kindly. “Mum said how much you like Cornish pasties so I made a dozen.”

Molly sat at the table as Lily made them tea, feeling it was quite the odd sensation to have someone else cook in her kitchen while resting at the table. It was nice though, to have her granddaughter there. With two hot cups of tea in hand, Lily sat next to Molly and pulled out a still warm plate of pasties. Biting into one, Molly was delighted by the delicious flavor and flaky crust. “These are wonderful,” she praised Lily.

“Thank you, Nana. Mum is insisting that I know how to cook before moving out so it’s good to have practice.”

Perking up a bit at the promise of news about her granddaughter’s future plans, Molly asked, “Are you planning to move soon?”

Lily shook her head as she swallowed enough food to respond. “Oh how I wish I were, Nana. I don’t have a job since James got hurt and, well, Archie and I split up. I’ll probably live with Mum and Dad until I’m an old maid.”

The first true laugh to leave Molly’s lips in weeks burst through at these words. “My Lily, even when you are old you certainly don’t need to be a maid.” When the meaning of Nana’s words hit Lily she gasped, causing another laugh. “I _was_ once your age,” she reminded her grinning grandchild.

Conversation flowed easily between Molly and Lily as they happily swapped stories about the family, who was up to what and any recent scandals. It was intriguing for Molly to hear more of the awful details about Archie and new information about Lysander. “I’m not sure if I fancy him but I think he fancies me,” Lily explained to her nana.

“You can always be his friend and let your feelings sort themselves out,” Molly suggested, feeling that it was nice to have someone in need of her wisdom still.

Halfway through their lunch and chitchat, Molly let out a question that she’d been chewing on since they started in on the pasties. “Would you like to move here?” she asked a momentarily stunned looking Lily. “You could have Ginny’s old room and, well, you don’t have to but it might be a nice change to living at home.” The squeal of excitement from Lily let Molly know her answer. She hadn’t realized it until then but Molly needed someone close by she could still take care of when needed and keep company.

“I’ll ask Mum and Dad tonight but they’ll yes, I know it,” Lily rambled on in her glee. She’d always loved the Burrow and felt this a perfect opportunity to help Nana through a difficult time while becoming a bit more independent.

\---

Going out for tea had seemed like a good choice for Scorpius to have a word with Corbin but now that he was faced with the prospect, he had a hard time facing it. They’d spent weeks apart after their fight to give them, mostly Scorpius, a chance to decide on the future of their relationship. It had taken Scorpius a swing and miss at Albus and an enchanting evening with Rose that went sideways at the end to push Scorpius to his decision.

Corbin was, if possible, even more worked up over their meeting. He missed Scorpius more than he could express and desperately wanted to retract his ugly moment of anger, striking it from their history. Wanting nothing more than to spend every day with Scorpius, Corbin felt as if his very life were on the line when they arranged to meet.

The café they were meeting at was relatively empty when Corbin arrived. He had several minutes until Scorpius would arrive which he spent sipping on tea with a twist of lemon. Scorpius walked in, catching Corbin’s eye but going to order a tea for himself before sitting across from the anxious looking man. “I’ve missed you,” Corbin started, forgoing a greeting.

Similar sentiment was close to rolling off Scorpius’ tongue but he withheld. “I’m glad we could meet up,” he said instead. Corbin interpreted the unrequited words as a foreboding sign, causing tears to well in his eyes as he stared into his tea. “My life has been lonely without you,” Scorpius confessed in a quiet voice. “I don’t want to throw away what we have – ” Corbin made to interrupt but Scorpius pushed on, “but I need to lay down parameters for us.”

“What I did – it was a mistake. A… a betrayal of your love,” Corbin began, wishing he had taken notes on the many hours of thought and reflection he’d given the topic.

Scorpius reached out and placed a hand on Corbin’s arm. “I know, Corbin. It’s behind us and I’d like to talk about our future.” They were silent for moments, each unable to speak or look away until Scorpius said, “I want to move with you to Paris, at least for half the time. We can build a life together and eat nice French bread every evening. I want us to be happy.”

It was better than Corbin dreamed – he felt as if he were taking his first breath in several weeks as joy spread through him. “We will,” was all he could say right away. A few sips of tea later, Corbin found his voice and the words he needed to say to Scorpius. “I’m far from perfect – jealous, quick to anger – but I want us to work too. I can and will change so that I’m the man you deserve.”

Overcome with emotion and desire for the man he was sitting across the table from, Scorpius asked, “Want to have this conversation somewhere less public?”

They were back in Scorpius’ flat minutes later and would have been there sooner if there weren’t muggles wandering by the place they were trying to use for apparition. Corbin waited for Scorpius to kiss him when they were inside the small flat – it was a short moment until their lips came together. Affection couldn’t erase their time apart but Scorpius could tell after minutes of delightful kissing that Albus had been a distraction and Rose a moment of confused lust – Corbin was the one he needed.

Enjoying the feel of being in one another’s arms, the pair laid in bed with the blankets pulled up past their shoulders. “Do you have a place in Paris?” Scorpius asked with a light kiss to Corbin’s nose.

“Just got it last week,” Corbin said as his deft fingers traced a line down Scorpius’ side. “I think you’ll like it; at least I hope you do.”

“I’ll like being with you,” Scorpius smiled. “I need to get and train a shop manager which will take some time but I’ll close on weekends and Mondays to be with you.”

Shaking his head, Corbin wanted to make it clear, “There’s no hurry. We have time and each other. I’d rather do this right than do it too fast – besides, you need to find someone sharp to keep your store.”

Scorpius was overwhelmed by Corbin’s patience with his time for moving. It felt as if a significant change had already come over Corbin since they were parted. It gave him, if anything, hope for their future.

\---

Warm. That’s the only word Rose could use to describe her immediate world and feelings. Despite the coolness that had permeated England, Spain remained temperate. It wasn’t just the weather that caused Rose to feel warmth throughout her body. Pedro was by her side in bed with his had resting at Rose’s waist. She’d been in Leon for the last week without any clients to show around – it was her research week.

Her first night there Rose ran into Pedro while buying a bit of food for the week. He had been very excited to see her and helped with the large bags of nourishment. On the second day Pedro just happened by a café where Rose was enjoying breakfast. He offered to show her some very good local places where she could take people on a future trip. They visited a small park with a magical monument in it. By the third night they had a candlelit dinner and Pedro stayed the night with Rose. Where she had stopped with Scorpius just a week previous, Rose did not feel at risk of tying her emotions up with a fun tryst with Pedro. She didn’t know if they’d keep this up every time she visited the now familiar city but Rose wasn’t looking for longevity, just someone who wouldn’t hurt her.

“What is it you do while you’re back in England?” Pedro asked as he fingered Rose’s hair.

It was hard to make it sound like she got up to anything interesting while at home so Rose went with the Merlin-honest truth. “I research places to visit with people, make connections when I can, but mostly I am tied up with family or personal events.”

“Are you only doing trips to Spain?” Pedro asked with his heavy brow raised. “Or are you venturing to other countries?”

“Just Spain, for now,” Rose told him but then went on, “It’s been harder than I thought – being an expert in a place I don’t live. I either need to be a tour guide for England, somehow getting clients from other countries, or live abroad and use people I know in England to push people towards me.”

Pedro gave Rose’s dilemma thought before saying, “You could move here.”

“With you?” Rose asked incredulously, feeling the need for a bit more space between her and the handsome man she was with.

“With me? Are you out of your mind?” Pedro nearly laughed which put Rose at ease. “I like you senorita Weasley but we hardly know each other. I do think my friend’s cousin is looking for a flat mate though.”

Rose couldn’t help but smile at Pedro. “That might not be a bad idea – so long as this isn’t some scheme so you can see me more often.”

“You make this sound like some telenovela,” Pedro laughed. “Or you’ve had some crazy novios.”

“I could tell you a story or two,” Rose said mysteriously. “But I don’t want to scare you off with antics I’ve seen or heard of.”

It was clear by the expression on his face that Pedro was curious but he got out of bed instead asking, “Want me to make bolos for breakfast?”

Trying to not sound _that_ impressed by the offer, as Pedro’s ego tended to inflate rather easily, Rose answered, “if it’s not too much trouble.”

With a winning smile at Rose, still comfortable in bed, he said, “For you, sweetheart, anything.”

Rose could imagine an interesting life here in Spain. Maybe Pedro would be a major part of it or maybe their connection with dissipate with more time together. It would be an exciting adventure either way.


	20. Simple Song

Albus regretted his promise to stop by Flourish and Blotts for a book called _A Wizard’s Guide to Cohabitating with Modern Muggles_ before leaving Diagon Alley. The street was packed with foot traffic but the store was too close to work to bother with apparition. Weaving through the crowded street, Albus tried his best to be polite and let people pass in the unchoreographed dance people referred to as shopping.

He was almost free of the buzzing crowd and to the Leaky Cauldron where he could apparate when Albus stopped in his tracks. A sign in the window of Scorpius’ shop called out to Albus as loudly as if it had been blaring music. _Help Wanted – Shop Manager_. Without making a conscious decision to do so, Albus wrenched open the door and entered the busy potions shop.

Even through the consumers he was helping, Scorpius saw Albus and gave him a wave. “Albus! I’m so happy to see you,” Scorpius said after taking gold from the customer he had been helping. “I’m closing in just a few minutes, if you want to stay for a moment,” he offered, seeing a familiar need to talk in Albus’ face.

Browsing the displays and shelves of potions, Albus recalled how he and Scorpius had schemed on which potions to sell throughout the early days of the shop. For Albus it had just been a fun exercise in understanding consumer behavior but for Scorpius it was his livelihood. Despite only a cursory hand in the shop’s success, Albus felt pride at how well it was doing now. When the last customer left, Albus turned to Scorpius, who was sorting the galleons from sickles and knuts, and fixed him with a steely stare.

“It’s nice that business is going well,” Albus said to kick off the interrogation he hoped to disguise as a conversation.

“Booming, really,” Scorpius commented as he made notes in his sales ledger. “That’s not why I need help,” he added. It wasn’t very difficult for him to deduce why Albus barged into the store on a whim. “I’m moving to Paris with Corbin.”

“Wow. That’s…” Albus teetered on saying unexpected but went with, “Why?” instead.

Scorpius didn’t look up from his work when he said, “I love him and want to work through our differences. I can’t bloody well do that from here.”

Albus worked to marshal his thoughts on the subject but his mouth blurted out, “You don’t have differences, he has a dangerous temper.”

“He’s changed,” Scorpius nearly croaked, emotion rising to the surface. “Corbin changed for me.”

This thought made Albus stop to think for a moment. _He_ had changed with Brandon but that was more of a journey than instantaneous transformation. “I know that people can… can change, but it’s not automatic.”

A laugh left Scorpius before he replied firmly, “I know we still have work but Corbin’s love is worth it – worth the risk.”

A loud sigh escaped from Albus as he leaned against a wall. “Everyone is going away,” he said with a glum voice.

This piqued Scorpius’ curiosity and humor. “Is there a mass exodus of Potters from London?” he asked innocently, glad to see the smile familiar smile flicker on Albus’ face. “Who’s leaving?”

Another huff came from Albus before he answered. “Rose is running off to Spain.”

That was not news Scorpius expected to hear. “Is she moving for work or something else?”

Albus raised his eyebrows, thinking that Scorpius knew his cousin a bit too well for someone not in the family. “She says it is for work – to better know the area she’s being paid to show people – but I think there’s more to it. Rose was there for a week and came back with this idea.”

“You think someone influenced her to move?” Scorpius almost laughed. “Rose wouldn’t move _for_ someone on a lark.” This was almost a sure fact for Scorpius as he had scared Rose away with the idea of long-term commitment. “If she’s moving, it’s because she wants to.”

With a shrug, Albus said, “You could be right.”

Realizing that his cousin would not be exaggerated into everyone, Scorpius asked, “Who else is moving away?”

“This doesn’t quite count as moving away but Lily is moving out to stay with Nana for a while,” he explained. “Mum seems torn between wanting Lily to stay at home indefinitely and liking that Nana won’t be alone all the time.”

Scorpius didn’t have commentary to add to Lily’s relocation as he didn’t know Albus’ sister as well. “Are there others? Is James moving to the Swiss Alps?”

Another short laugh escaped from Albus. “No, he’s not going anywhere. It’s just you after that. You’re moving to Paris.”

“I’m moving to Paris,” Scorpius echoed in agreement. “You and Brandon can visit sometime, if you want a nice getaway.”

Albus closed the distance between them before he said, “Just promise that you’ll get out when…” Albus stopped himself and took a steadying breath before going on. “If things go south. And that you’ll write.”

Taken aback by the intense and protective statement from Al, Scorpius nodded and said, “I promise.”

The two friends exchanged a hug full of their longstanding commitment to one another, to be friends and confidants. Their idle chatter that followed seemed shallow after a conversation of such gravity but Albus and Scorpius comfortably navigated the remainder of their visit.

When Albus left, he was still worried about his friend but knew the matter was out of his hands. Much to Albus’ delight he would be going – not to his flat that was still shared with James but – home to Brandon, Cora, and their life together.


End file.
